Man Booker prize laureate, Aravind Adiga penned down the phenomenal debut novel entitled 

 in the year 2008 wherein the plot exhibits the drastic change that took place in the life of a menial man named 

, who went from rags to riches. He is the protagonist-cum-narrator of the story who writes a letter to the premier of China – Wen Jiabao, elucidating the transfixing story where he unveils how he, a son of village rikshawallah, climbed up the social ladder and evaded the 

 which later on led him to the zenith of Indian business culture in Bangalore, rendering him the title of a prosperous entrepreneur(THE WHITE TIGER). Now, how he gained that title is the actual twist of the novel. He attributed his success to his ability to eavesdrop on the right conversation at the right time. He calls himself a bad servant but an excellent listener and he reveals this 

The astounding storyline with noteworthy events intrigues the readers and thus keeps their interest intact. It mirrors the 

 unflinchingly, challenging our brain cells to delve in deep into the novel until the end. The book is not going to make you feel proud about being an Indian but it would certainly compel your conscience to contemplate the hard-hitting 

 that is prevalent in India. It highlights how the corrupt politicians and their propaganda fails to mollify the prime needs of the poor. Not to mention the 

marginalization,class-conflict, and globalization

 that goes hand in hand and have equally contributed to undermining the very base of our country. We all are cognizant of these loopholes but still choose to look the other way. These loopholes are satirically delineated throughout the novel by Adiga which is why it truly earned acclaim and the Man Booker Prize.

In his novel, Adiga accentuated two utterly disparate realities that coexist in India, causing clashes by quoting “

India is two countries in one: an India of Light, and an India of Darkness.

” The constant comparisons between Indian and Chinese economies made Balram write this letter on seven consecutive nights. Through his letters, he wants to divulge this darkness of India to Wen Jiabao. One of the striking quotes from the novel is “

The greatest thing to come out of in this country is the Rooster Coop. The roosters in the coop smell the blood from above. They see the organs of their brothers. They know they’re next. Yet they do not try to get out of the coop. The very same thing is done with human beings in this country.

 and one will get subsumed in it till the very end. The suspense that it builds in every little scene will keep you guessing and the inquisitiveness escalates with every event. Have you ever imagined how poverty-stricken people live their lives? It’s beyond the spectrum of our imagination and it is rather excruciating to read such intricacies. The bottom line is that the plight of the poor begets them to take up the wrong decision and hence leads them astray. Having said that, it raises one rhetorical question of what causes a person to commit a crime reluctantly. It offers a 

, blistering suspense, and questionable morality. It is a must-read that has touched upon some 

 Hence, it tickles your bones and takes you on a ride of reality, reflecting some imperative issues. The issues covered up in the novel are quite culpable and well-known to us, yet we fail to fix it for it is deeply embedded in the society and it can’t be altered. Not until we act to bring that wave of change.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of The Jamia Review or its members.

The White Tiger: An Absolute Page Turner

To put it more plainly, all the likes, comments and shares on social media have become a 

 through which we attribute value to others and ourselves. By doing so, we are implicitly rendering other people the power to 

 and it affects the way in which we evaluate our self worth. Our sentiments are sort of dependent on their opinion of us. We simply emulate what our peers are pursuing and in an attempt to avoid 

 we tussle to follow the fake pursuit of perfection to fit in the society. Not to mention, we are desperately seeking validation and are skeptical about our own attributes. To make the matter worse, social media is setting unrealistic beauty standards which are scathing our psyche.

Aren’t we all cognizant of this contemporary condition? The Internet has utterly distorted the reality regarding 

. Everything we see over the internet is an exaggeration which profoundly influences our idea of an ideal body type. Applications like 

 offer a plethora of image editing filters that ruin our self-perception and affect our sanity. In order to attain a flawless face and figure, every person undergoes a cognitive conflict. These filters subtly alter and accentuate the facial features in literally less than a minute that makes a photo less realistic rather elusive. This hooks up the attention of Gen Z considerably, in the wake of which we are unable to refrain ourselves from using beautified photos. There is a sense of discomfiture in sharing 

 is one such trend wherein youngsters are willing to get plastic surgery due to their obsession with filters. Their desire to attain that filtered version of themselves is a cause of concern in many ways. It is staggering to see that some people are willing to squander more money on their looks than on their education. Moreover, it’s like a maze with no escape.

 and there are a ton number of things that people try to meet a specific beauty standard. This leads to major detrimental dysfunctional issues such as BDD ( body dysmorphic disorder) and other mental and eating disorders like bulimia, anorexia and intermittent fasting which makes the patient highly conscious of his or her body weight. The aforementioned disorders impel people to modify their physical self which in itself is pernicious. People are neglecting the power of carrying their flaws with confidence and are trapped in this maze of attaining physical perfection.

Another term associated with this subject is the Male Gaze, coined by a British filmmaker and feminist, 

 who denounced the Hollywood Cinema in 1975 by pointing out the adverse effects of Male gaze on women in the acting fraternity. 

 is the manner in which a female is portrayed from a male’s point of view and this gaze, through a male lens makes a woman conscious about her bodily features. The prime problem with this industry is that it’s all a charade and everything is done merely to please the spectators. In this entire process, the impact of male gaze on the psychology of the actor and spectator is overlooked.

It is pretty palpable that the business of beauty is super scary and pathetic. It makes us diffident without cosmetics and a tempting body texture. The persistent pressure that we put on ourselves to keep up with the 

 has become a morbid cycle which is undermining our mental health tremendously. The facade of fame, fascination and flawless physical features that is rampant all over the internet carries its own cons which brims the spectators with discontent.

Life is hard and adulting is even harder. The bare minimum we can do to elude this dejection is to accept our physical self as it is. We ought to fixate our focus on 

. It sounds quite hard but is sorely imperative to choose a healthy lifestyle in the real world. We should endeavour to attain our aims instead of getting trapped in the web of lies woven by the tech-driven world. We need to break this chain of non-viable toxic beauty standards because no matter how hard we try there will always be some standard of beauty that we are not meeting.

 and skipping meals to attain that perfect zero figure can’t help us fix it. Instead, it only worsens our physical as well as emotional well-being and 

 We need to keep in mind that nobody can make us feel inferior without our consent. All we need to do is discard these redundant beauty concepts and feel comfortable in our own skin . After all, 

 and acceptance is key to a stable mindset. The steering wheel of life is in our hands and only we get to decide how we want to mould our mind.

THE ABYSS OF UNREALISTIC BEAUTY STANDARDS

Regardless of how much the world has evolved, there are people who still view literature as a spare, futile subject to study wherein a person eventuates into dead end jobs. A literature student is deemed as someone who is fond of fabricating stories with an apathetic approach, when it is much more than that. There is more than what meets the eye and some people merely see the tip of the iceberg, failing to assess the opportunities that literature actually offers.

What do we actually mean when we talk about literature?

 To comprehend life, one needs to decipher its actual meaning bit by bit. An imperative way to do so is through reading. We all are rather clueless and confined in our own heads, desperately trying to find a purpose. We dabble with a ton of things and end up perplexed. Reading is the best way to shun this skepticism. It readily ameliorates our personality and influences our manners. A book is emphatically a perfect refuge to rejuvenate our soul which helps us in surpassing our own selves.

Literature is intricately intertwined with history. Hence, it plays an indispensable role in reflecting the reality of the primitive and contemporary world. No mater how hard we try to segregate literature from history, we cannot. History is not merely a gateway to the past, but also is indicative of our present which allows us to envision our future. Literature keeps on evolving with time, kindling new idea for the future generations to come.

It takes a strong imagination to explore the endless prospects of life and pen it down with the hope of transforming those ideas into actuality. An author frames an idea based on their imagination in the form of a novel. An astounding work is mighty enough to induce a strong sense of insurrection, capable of commencing a wave of revolution. After all, what is now proved was once only imagined and that is where the actual power of literature lies. Without literature, revolutions would not have happened. Every revolution was once just a vague idea which was made feasible through critical reasoning and expression of dissent and defiance.

In this seemingly hopeless society, literature acts as a catalyst, playing a humongous role in reconstructing the society. Life is mainly manifested in the form of literature and reading leads to introspection. It edifies us in different ways, making it permissible to see through the lens of a writer, giving us a second hand experience of the events in the novel. We learn and unlearn a gazillion of things through the fictitious characters which in turn enhances our empathising skills. Even after having nothing in common with the characters, we still strive to relate to their plight. Consequently, a credible literary work acts a strong stimulus that bursts the bubble of ignorance and brings us into a state of staggering reality. Writers simply replicate their thoughts while putting pen to paper which depicts the necessity of thinking thoroughly and boundlessly. The level of retaining knowledge is directly proportional to our inquisitiveness. A good novel impels us to think outside the box by sowing a seed of critical riticism. We make sense of everything around us through words, for words are powerful enough to stir up our sentiments.

Reading is more like an exercise which mobilises our brain and ignites our imagination and helps us in expanding our horizon of knowledge. Writers from different walks of life, hailing from contrasting backdrops with dissimilar experiences are capable of contriving novels that connects people on a common ground. What was once written stays, albeit the writer dies. However, living in an age of digital distractions and tech-driven world, we often fail to fathom the eminence of literature. Perpetual use of gadgets shift our attention from books to smartphones which in itself is detrimental, in the wake of which our attention span is dwindling drastically. Through books we are exposed to new information that helps us in rectifying our skewed beliefs which in turn polishes our perception. Therefore, it is on us to maintain a balance between the virtual and actual life.

Literature: A Mirror OF Life and Legacy

The UP Cabinet concurred with this decision and cleared the anti-conversion ordinance on November 24, shortly after the Allahabad High Court upheld the 

right to freedom of choice of individuals

. The new law has formulated some stringent punishments, mandating the imprisonment of the accused person for a span of 1-5 years if convicted of carrying out forceful conversions for marriage. Moreover, the law also renders the state of power to nullify any marriages found to have been carried out with the “sole intention” of changing a woman’s religion. If the conversion is of a minor, a woman belonging to a SC or ST, then those found guilty would have to face a jail term for 3-10 years, with a minimal fine of Rs. 25,000. On the other hand, if such a conversion is found at a mass level, then the accused would be put behind the bars for 3- 10 years, plus a fine of Rs. 50,000.

This ordinance is a conspicuous blot on the secular fabric of India, wherein the government, in lieu of finding ways to mitigate the pain and plight of the poor amid the lockdown, is busy fabricating laws that makes us question the idea of 

. It seems nothing more than a political stunt pulled off by the UP government, using religious discord and caste conflicts as a medium to drive a wedge in the society. Also, this baseless conspiracy theory implies that Muslim men are trying to shift India’s demographic balance by converting Hindu women to Islam through marriage. The conspiracy has received renewed attention after the murder of a Hindu woman in Haryana in October by a Muslim man who, as her family claims, had pressurized her to convert into Islam.

 ordinance with no legal legs to stand on after passing its verdict asserting that that an adult’s decision to live with another adult of their choice is “strictly a right of an individual”, and a violation of this right would regard to the violation of their “

fundamental right to life and personal liberty

 as it includes right to freedom of choice, to choose a partner and right to live with dignity as enshrined in Article 21”. 

“Any sort of interference in a personal relationship would constitute a serious encroachment into the right to freedom of choice of the two individuals,”

 the High Court said in its order. The Allahabad jurisdiction excoriates the unconstitutional ordinance and has pointed out that a disturbing arbitrariness has crept into policy making; institutions have decayed and the economy’s structural deficiencies have worsened. Be it renaming states or monuments, UP government’s object of prime concern has always been 

. Passing such a law again solidifies the fact that their target is solely to make religion-based agenda rather than ameliorating other significant issues.

The people of India need to stand united especially at a time when the country already has so many challenges in front of it such as the 

 whose cases are rising at an unstoppable speed, to the 

 posed by China and Pakistan. Divisive and polarizing ‘love jihad’ laws undermine such unity and aid our adversaries. The intrusion of liberty-destroying state power into personal decisions like marriage choices is no doubt pernicious. The promulgation of anti-conversion law clearly criminalizes Hindu-Muslim marriages, which are deemed “fraudulent” on the grounds that they are designed to impel religious conversions and are being painted as sinister attempts by Muslim men. The clear-cut flaw of this law lies in the fact that the onus of proving that the conversion was not compelled rests completely on the shoulders of the person who has converted and anyone can accuse him or her of a frivolous charge of forced conversion. The ramification of a such a flaw may lead to the arrest of the couple by the police in an attempt to please their political bosses. Another troubling detail of this law states that if a person wants to convert for the sake of marriage would have to provide a 2-month notice to the local district magistrate. This flaw leaves an interfaith couple highly vulnerable for those 2 months within which they can be subjected to humiliation, intimidation and what not. This might eventuate in the couple giving in and breaking off their relationship.

The true test of a democracy is how its laws stand with regard to the life and liberty of its citizens. The Love Jihad law sounds gender neutral, but in reality, it views women as 

 or mindless infantilized objects who are utterly controlled by patriarchs, denying them individual freedom to choose a partner on their own accord. This law cannot stand the fact that in the 21st century, love is a socially revolutionary force that is breaking the barriers of religion, caste, community and even gender, knitting people together. On top of that, it is overtly contributing in the propagation of hate sentiments all across India and reeks of Islamophobia implicitly.

In a country where an interfaith knot tied between two celebrities is sorely celebrated, the same country is making laws to deprive the local citizens of their right to choose a life partner freely and thus impeding the practice of liberty. Lately, the Love Jihad conspiracy gained prominence in October, when an advertisement sparked a controversy for depicting a happy interfaith marriage between a Hindu woman and a Muslim man. The ad was withdrawn right away by the jewelry company 

, after receiving hateful remarks and complaints from Hindu nationalists, claiming that it promoted so-called Love Jihad, whereas it’s only aim was to propagate love and unity irrespective of a person’s caste or creed.

Now the idea of this whole law prompts one obvious question that what is the use of studying our fundamental rights and Constitution and not being able to actually practice it freely? Interfaith marriages must be celebrated and not criticized for the independent India’s founders wholeheartedly supported inter-religious marriage, seeing it as a sign of social progress and enhancement of democracy. When 

“Such unions are bound to benefit society”

“The real remedy for breaking caste is intermarriage,”

 when he was convinced that intermarriages could liberate India from caste prejudice. In fact, BJP leaders M.A. Naqvi and Shahnawaz Hussain are married to Hindus. Hence, diversity will be truly meaningful only when India celebrates rather than criminalizes Hindu-Muslim marriages.

Anti-Love Jihad: A Blot On the Secular Fabric of India?

The theory says that infants are biologically pre-programmed to form attachments with others which will help them grow and survive. Hence, it becomes a necessity for mankind to make bonds in order to exchange ideas and feel a sense of belonging in social groups. It is an undeniable fact that parents play an indispensable role in moulding the manner we approach others. It frames the attachment style which later on determines the pattern of our behavior as an adult.

, scrutinized this theory and identified four human attachment styles: (i) Secure (ii) Avoidant (dismissive) (iii) Anxious (preoccupied) (iv) Disorganized (Fearful-avoidant). As matter of fact, these styles are sorely affected by the childhood experiences and the trauma affiliated with it. It regulates our subconscious in an intricate way that remains at the back of our head until the day of our demise.

This article is going to lay emphasis on how these styles permute the way we act and react in a certain scenario.

 People with this style share a strong and secure familial relationship that makes them assertive amid social situations. They are feisty and never hesitate in seeking guidance. They are certain of the fact that their needs and necessities will be met and whenever they are needy, they make it known within their family and friend circle and are assured of reciprocation. With such an optimistic and laid back attitude, they are more likely to sustain their relationship in future because their childhood memories are sweet, lovable and healthy. In their case, love and trust comes easily and such people are down to earth and easy to deal with. It makes them competent in pulling off tasks assigned to them. Such people possess a strong sense of discernment and when a discord or “rupture” occurs in their relationships, they are liable to engage with the conflict or misunderstanding and ultimately repair it, rather than running away from it. Thus, they don’t run the risk of getting depressed and are capable of dealing with stress in a positive manner.

 Generally, people falling under this category are said to be clingy and unsure about their emotions. They perpetually think that they require someone to complete them to make their life purposeful. They have an overwhelming fear of abandonment and they persistently ponder that they will be deserted by the people they love. They are always seeking validation from others due to low self esteem and are constantly looking for someone to boost their morale. Their anxiety takes over their mind completely. Their disposition is a product of their parents’ sullenness who are emotionally unavailable for them. Dearth of a secure relationship with the primary caregiver makes them reticent and hence, they find it hard to make close friends and even if they do so, they are inhibited and are always looking for reinforcement. They are accustomed to thinking highly of others and are skeptical about their own deftness. Such people develop a passive aggressive behavior which makes them act in an eccentric manner. They never express their resentment overtly but deal with the antipathy implicitly with a recurring thought of not being good enough.

 It is the most challenging insecure style. It develops when a parent; the only source of support, becomes the source of fear. Child abuse and harsh treatment received from a caregiver highly affects a child’s psychology. Inconsistent affection is the root cause of this disorder. They prefer solitary activities and enjoy alienation and are uptight about everything. This disorder arises due to dysfunctional familial relations wherein the parent could be suffering from 

 or could be addicted to drugs and alcohol. Being sexually abused in childhood makes it difficult for the child to trust anyone whatsoever, not even their own parents. Their perception of love gets altered and they feel that love is detrimental to their health because those who love them are the ones causing them pain. In such a harrowing ambience, survival becomes the focal point of their life. They just try to survive against all the odds and expect the least from their parents. The child gets agitated when a stranger tries to comfort them or show affinity towards them. The childhood trauma makes them cold and recalcitrant and thus they don’t know how to deal with people who exhibit care and concern. An unconscious defense mechanism activates to avoid emotional pain. They have major trust issues and a strong fear of getting hurt. They are dumbstruck at times and end up hurting themselves and this self-sabotaging conduct makes it tough for them to open up. For them, human interaction means to empathise and they want to avoid connection at all costs. This apathetic attitude makes them reluctant to indulge in any productive activity. They usually fall for those who show a correspondence with their parents’ attitude and find it hard to resonate with an opposite style and feel jittery when someone tries to invade their private space.

 As the name implies, an avoidant personality avoids being vulnerable and shuns the sense of dependency. Independence is valued more and they crave closeness yet fear intimacy. The reason being emotional childhood neglection. The erratic parental affection and attention renders a child helpless and insecure. They are persistently told to fend for themselves. This leads to reluctance in opening up about their issues even in their family circle and consequently eventuate in bottling up their insecurities, having no outlet. They tend to quell their desires and keep their emotions to themselves and are perplexed between wanting affection and concealing their emotions simultaneously and thereby end up thinking that they are better off without anyone’s support and silently grapple with their thoughts internally. When they somehow enter in a relationship, their actions baffle the other person in the wake of which that person misinterprets their demeanour. They try to keep their relationship at a shallow level and are least likely to maintain a long-term relationship. That being said, they are apparently self sufficient and are adept at handling pressure but are often emotionally unavailable for people around them for they prefer avoiding emotional connection.

Hope you all have spotted the attributes of your personality and are well acquainted with your attachment style. Not that these styles can’t be altered. You cannot expect others to change their style but certainly can change yours. Having said that, those who find it hard to restyle their attachment run the risk of developing a strained relationship with their loved ones. The least we can do is bridge the communication gap between us and our parents to make amends and maybe that will help in ameliorating the situation by giving an optimistic approach to life.

After all, our demeanour utterly depends on the equation we share with our caregivers and a healthy human bond reduces the risk of a child becoming despondent or engaging in antisocial behavior. We cannot completely fix it, but can surely try.

Articles by Ilma Mujeeb

The White Tiger: An Absolute Page Turner

THE ABYSS OF UNREALISTIC BEAUTY STANDARDS

Literature: A Mirror OF Life and Legacy

Anti-Love Jihad: A Blot On the Secular Fabric of India?

The Conundrum of Attachment

The White Tiger: An Absolute Page Turner

THE ABYSS OF UNREALISTIC BEAUTY STANDARDS

Literature: A Mirror OF Life and Legacy

Anti-Love Jihad: A Blot On the Secular Fabric of India?

The Conundrum of Attachment