Sometimes famous stories of the past, like this one by Vaikom Muhammad Basheer, solve problems in ways that would not be acceptable today. A mismatched couple (an uneducated “town rowdy” and university-educated, “fashionable lady”) begin their marriage at odds with one another. Frustrated by trying to change her husband into her idea of a gentleman, the haughty wife is constantly nagging and ill-tempered. The man calmly puts up with this until a quest to find poovan pazham (dessert bananas) proves too much. Themes include non-traditional marriage, social expectations vs. personal freedom, marital quest, gratitude, “education”, guilt, love, nostalgia. More…
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The Snake and the Mirror
On the surface, this story by Vaikom Muhammad Basheer is a humorous tale about a tense encounter between a young doctor and a cobra that becomes taken with its own beauty. Looking more deeply, it is unclear which “snake” the title refers to. The doctor is a vain, devious man who fusses over his appearance and plans to marry a wealthy, fat woman doctor who won’t cause problems if he makes some silly mistake (i.e. cheats on her). He turns to God when in trouble, but quickly forgets Him when it passes. Themes include vanity, fear, the transience of life. More…