Welcome to the World of Bombay!
Hello there! Today, we are diving into Rohinton Mistry’s Family Matters. On the surface, it looks like a story about a family struggling to take care of an elderly grandfather. But because this is part of your Postcolonial Literature paper, there is much more beneath the surface. We will explore how a small community (the Parsis) tries to find its place in India after the British left, and how history, memory, and politics "matter" just as much as family does. Don't worry if the cultural terms seem new—we will break them down step-by-step!
1. Understanding the "Postcolonial" Context
Before we look at the characters, we need to understand the "Postcolonial" label. Family Matters is set in Mumbai (formerly Bombay). In this context, postcolonialism isn't just about the British leaving in 1947; it's about what happened afterward.
Key Concept: The Parsi Identity
The characters in this book belong to the Parsi community (followers of Zoroastrianism). Under British rule, Parsis were often highly educated, spoke English, and held good jobs. They were the "middlemen" between the British and the rest of India.
The Postcolonial Struggle: Now that the British are gone, the Parsis feel like a "vanishing" minority. They are caught between their proud past and a modern India that is becoming more nationalistic and less pluralistic (accepting of different groups).
Analogy: Imagine a student who was the teacher's favorite for years. When that teacher leaves and a new one arrives who doesn't know them, that student might feel lost or try to cling to the "old rules" to feel important again. That is the Parsi community in this novel.
Key Takeaway: This novel is about Identity and Pluralism. It asks: How does a small group survive in a massive, changing nation?
2. The Characters: A Family Divided
Mistry uses the family as a "microcosm" (a small version) of the country. If the family is falling apart, it suggests the nation might be too.
Nariman Vakeel: The 79-year-old patriarch with Parkinson’s disease. He represents Memory and the Past. His physical decay mirrors the decay of the old, cosmopolitan Bombay.
Coomy and Jal: Nariman’s step-children. They live in a large, crumbling apartment called Chateau Felicity. Coomy is bitter and represents the burden of the past.
Roxana and Yezad: Nariman’s daughter and son-in-law. They live in a tiny, cramped flat. They represent the struggling middle class trying to stay honest in a corrupt world.
Memory Aid: The "Two Apartments"
• Chateau Felicity: Big, empty, and full of ghosts (The Past).
• 701-A Pleasant Heights: Small, crowded, and full of life/struggle (The Present).
Quick Review: Why does Nariman have Parkinson's? It’s not just a medical condition; it represents a loss of control. Just as Nariman can't control his body, the Parsi community feels it is losing control over its future in India.
3. Key Themes to Track
A. Nationhood and Politics
The novel is set during the rise of the Shiv Sena (a real-life right-wing Hindu nationalist party). They wanted to change "Bombay" to "Mumbai" to reclaim it from colonial and "outsider" influences.
Postcolonial Connection: For Yezad, the city is becoming "intolerant." The change of names and the pressure to hire only certain people shows how Nationhood can sometimes exclude minorities like the Parsis.
B. Corruption and the "Black List"
Yezad, who starts as a very honest man, eventually gets involved in a scheme to deceive his boss. This shows how a Postcolonial state plagued by corruption can force even "good" people to lose their moral compass just to survive.
Common Mistake to Avoid: Don't just blame Yezad for being "bad." Instead, argue that the social environment (poverty, lack of support for the elderly) pushes him toward these choices.
C. Transcultural Experiences
The characters are "transcultural"—they speak English, listen to Western classical music (like Nariman), but also practice ancient Persian rituals. They are a "hybrid" of East and West.
Did you know? Nariman was once in love with a non-Parsi woman (Lucy), but his parents forced him to marry a Parsi woman. This "purity of the race" mindset is a major reason why the community is shrinking. Mistry is critiquing the idea that a group must stay "pure" to survive.
Key Takeaway: The "Family Matters" of the title refers to both the importance of family and the problems (matters) within it that reflect the nation's problems.
4. Language and Style: How Mistry Writes
Mistry uses Realism. He describes the smells, the dirt, and the physical details of Nariman’s illness very clearly.
Why? In Postcolonial literature, writers often use realism to "write back" to the world. They want to show the unglamorous, difficult reality of life in a former colony, rather than the "exotic" version tourists see.
Look out for:
1. Humor: Even in sad scenes, Mistry uses "black comedy" to help the characters (and the reader) cope with suffering.
2. Domestic Details: Pay attention to how food and tea are described. These represent the Pluralism of the culture—mixing different traditions together.
5. Final Tips for the Exam
When writing about Family Matters in Section B (Postcolonial Literature), always try to link the "small" story to the "big" history.
Step-by-Step Analysis Trick:
1. The Event: Nariman breaks his ankle and has to move.
2. The Family Effect: It creates financial stress for Roxana and Yezad.
3. The Postcolonial Link: It shows the lack of a "safety net" in the post-independence state and the physical breakdown of the "old guard" (the Parsi elite).
Encouraging Note: Don't worry if you find the family drama frustrating—you're supposed to! Mistry wants you to feel the "claustrophobia" (the trapped feeling) that the characters feel. Use that feeling in your essays to explain the pressures of living in a changing city.
Quick Summary Box:
• Context: Post-1947 India, rise of Hindu nationalism.
• The Parsis: A minority group losing their colonial-era status.
• The Family: A mirror for the city's decay and the struggle for survival.
• Key Idea: You cannot separate family issues from the politics of the country.