Come Meet Louise.....

“There was something about the thought of God being with me that made me feel more alone than ever. It was like being with Caroline.” (Paterson, 1980)

The novel, Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson, is set in the early 1940s on a fictional island of Rass in the Chesapeake Bay. The novel is narrated by Louise, and we as readers are privy to her innermost thoughts and struggles. Louise feels that she always falls short in comparison to her twin sister. Caroline’s pretty face combined with her musical talent makes her the darling of the town. While she basks in the attention showered on her, Louise is sidelined. As time goes by, Louise becomes embittered as she is repeatedly ignored, in favor of Caroline. She resents anyone, including her parents, who consciously or unconsciously treat them unequally. Turning her thoughts inward, Louise focuses on working hard and earning good pocket money. When her best friend Call quits his job to enlist in the armed forces, Louise takes on his work with her father. She loves the work, but her restlessness continues. Throughout the book we see good fortune visiting Caroline, while Louise is left behind, in danger of becoming a bitter, twisted adult. It requires a little prodding from Captain (an old gentleman) to re-evaluate her life choices. She realizes that to lead a life outside the shadow of her sister, it is essential that she figure out who she is and what she wants out of her life. At the end of the book, we see her making choices that help her discover her true essence.

     The book talks about sibling rivalry, insecurities, frustration, anger, love, and disappointments; sentiments and feeling we all are familiar with. We all have been in Louise’s shoes. We have gone through phases where we have thought, we have been treated unfairly by our parents or by the people around us, or the times when we are unable to communicate our feelings or our hurt. I can see many young children identifying with her character. However, as a parent, I can see how some of her insecurities were only perceived in her mind. There were moments in the novel where my heart went out to Louise, and I was angry on her behalf, but there were times when I felt her anger to be unjustified. I loved reading this book, but I can see many who will be not impressed by it. The story is slow-paced, and the protagonist does come out as a whiney person at times. I also feel that a young reader may not be able to comprehend the core message of this book thoroughly. Even with all these minor hiccups, it is a great read. To characterize this book just as a book about sibling rivalry would be doing it a huge injustice. True, the book is about the complicated dynamics between siblings, but it is also a book about self-discovery, and about the courage it takes to carve out a niche for oneself.

“You can make your own chances. But first you have to know what you’re after, my dear.” (Paterson, 1980)   

                                                            MEMORIES

    Going down the memory lane, and thinking about my childhood and the books that I read, gives me warm and fuzzy feelings. It reminds me of the times when I would sit with my mom, read books and share with her my impressions of the books. It is that nostalgic feeling that engulfs me every time I pick up a book to read. 

      I am from India, and so the books associated with my childhood were a fusion of books from the west and from India. While growing up I was not exposed to a great number of books, and my choices were limited. It had nothing to do with the availability of books in India, and everything to do with the job that my dad held. My dad was part of the Indian army, and he was deployed in some of the toughest regions in India. When living in such places, your selection is pretty limited. The school library was my only source, and the fare of books at the library was not that great, but I lapped up everything that I could find. The books that I read ranged from classic novels, to popular young fiction, to books about Indian leaders who helped shape my native land. The first book that I remember reading was called Letters from a Father to his Daughter. This book is a collection of letters written by the first Prime Minister of India to his daughter. This collection covers a wide array of topics covering different subjects. The other book that I associate with my growing years is called Malgudi Days. It’s a collection of short stories depicting the life of ordinary people living in an imaginary town (Malgudi) in India. What I remember most about reading this book was the humor that it brought to everyday mundane life. (I would love to go back and revisit these books, as my memories of the exact content of these books have diminished).I also have fond memories of reading a comic book series called Amar Chitra Katha with my brother. The colorful pictures and simple language attracted us to this series of books. Then there were books like The Jungle Book (only the stories involving Mowgli), The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Oliver Twist and also teen mystery books like Nancy Drew. I loved reading the Nancy Drew series of books because it connected me to my friends. I also remember reading books like Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, Wuthering Heights (in my adolescent years) and being fascinated by the characters portrayed in these novels.

   For a girl living in India, books were a means of understanding new ideas and exploring the world outside the threshold of my home. Books not only took me to places that I could only dream of, but they also helped me broaden my imaginative horizon. The books set in India helped me understand and appreciate my culture and my roots, whereas the books outside the boundaries of my country offered me a glimpse into a world that was different than what I was accustomed to. Reading books over the years have reinforced my belief that we all may look different and may have different perspectives, but we all are connected through our common shared human experiences.

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