"The Village By The Sea" characters-ANITA DESAI

LIST OF CHARACTERS

Family: Bela, Hari, Kamal, Lila, Mother, Father, Pinto

Villagers of Thul: Ramu, Biju

Bombay People: Jagu, Hira, Mr Panwallah, Sayyid Ali, the de Silvas

Others: Mr Pinto

HARI-MINDMAP:

Challenges

*Being a figure of authority

*Needing to find a job

*Struggling without a mother or father

*Knowing he is not educated enough to get a proper job

*Making the decision to go to Bombay

*Once in Bombay, Hari is basically lost

*Job in eating house in very hard and trying

*The rough life in Bombay is a huge challenge for Hari

*He must save money for his family back home

Important relationships

*Hari and Lila share an earnest to keep their family alive and well as the two oldest most capable children. Both strive to do good for the family and want to care for them and each other as much as possible being brother and sister.

*Hari and Jagu are a complicated pair who do not speak often but ended up with an understanding of each other even after Jagu made the mistake of taking Hari to his home in the slums. The two work alongside each other, and keep finding small details about one another that make them more similar than they had ever expected (such as both being from small villages).

*Hari and Mr Panwallah meet when Hari had begun his work at the eating house in Bombay. Mr Panwallah was kind to Hari in very small ways at first but eventually their little acquaintence led to Hari becoming Mr Panwallah's apprentice in the watch makers shop where he learnt many skills meaning he had a steady plan to make money for his family when he finally returns to Thul. Hari is very, very grateful towards him and his generosity.

Behaviour

*Hari quickly gave me the impression that he had lost all hope in his families survival and that was one to give up quite easily when the going got rough. He proved this when he made his somewhat foolish decision to go to Bombay to get away from his families destiny of ruin and despair. Although, when he was given the chance to try again and make his life work...he jumps at the opportunity, making the most of it and trying so hard to earn as much money to get by on and ended up not spending a single thing during his time in Bombay except for the presents for his sisters. Hari proves to be a very proud man who strives to get by with what he is given even though he seems a little lost at first.

Themes of character

*proud

*strong

*determined

*occasionally seems at a loss

*comes across very serious

*logical

*understanding