DEV OF BYE BYE BLACKBIRD
Anita Desai is a reputed Indo Anglican
woman novelist. She is known as an existentialist novelist. In her novels the
focus is on the inner climate, Her 'Bye Bye Blackbird is a very fine novel. It
deals with the theme of alienation. This theme has been clearly reflected
through the character of Dev.
Dev is the most important character of
Bye Bye Blackbird. He is the central figure of this novel. This novel starts
with his arrival in London. He has gone to London to join advance course of
economics at the London School of Economics. He has been reading the scholars
like Lamb, Dickens, Addison and Boswell. By this study he has come to know
about London and the entire West.
Dev has to face many problems of adjustment
in London. He finds himself in a foreign country and alien atmosphere. For him
everyone is a stranger and lives in hiding. The people of London live silently
and invisibly. Dev does not hear his neighbours. Their children are all kept
behind closed doors. The silence and the emptiness of the houses and streets of
London make Dev uneasy. He is not able to accustom himself with the silence and
emptiness of the city. These things make him nostalgic about India. Dev is a
very sensitive young man. He does not like the behaviours of the Britishers
with immigrants. They are called wogs. He remarks that London docks have three
kinds of lavatories- Ladies Gents and Asiatics. Indians use the lavatory made
for them only. What Dev dislikes most is the sheepiness of the immigrants in
England. It seems to him that once they land in this country they loose all
their self-respect.
Dev is a man of strong will. Slowly he
takes up he situation. He begins to wander about the streets of London,
observing its various allurements and attractions. He begins to become soft. He
feels little change in himself. Thus he decides to remain in London when Adit
and Sarah leave for India. But at the end he finds himself in dilemma. He
continues to think whether he should stay here or go back to India. But finally
he decides to stay in London to continue his study.
Thus Dev is
a fine character. He has many qualities. He is very convincing.
Comments
Post a Comment