gimley reviewed A Bend in the River by V. S. Naipaul
Review of 'A Bend in the River' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
Salim, the Indian narrator, is looking for his place in the world and observing other men, who he presumes are doing the same, in part, because his place is relative to them. Is he more or less powerful? Richer or poorer? Better or worse?
I say "men" because women's place, to him, depend on men. Whether this reflects the time of the novel, the point of view of the narrator, or the sexism of the author isn't clear. I'd like to rule out the last choice (other reviewers did not) because anyone who writes so well deserves the benefit of the doubt. Part of writing well is that your unreliable narrator shouldn't be so obviously . . . well, unreliable, and Salim is not a caricature. As an Indian who grew up outside of India, primarily on the coast of Africa, that he should be in doubt about his place …
Salim, the Indian narrator, is looking for his place in the world and observing other men, who he presumes are doing the same, in part, because his place is relative to them. Is he more or less powerful? Richer or poorer? Better or worse?
I say "men" because women's place, to him, depend on men. Whether this reflects the time of the novel, the point of view of the narrator, or the sexism of the author isn't clear. I'd like to rule out the last choice (other reviewers did not) because anyone who writes so well deserves the benefit of the doubt. Part of writing well is that your unreliable narrator shouldn't be so obviously . . . well, unreliable, and Salim is not a caricature. As an Indian who grew up outside of India, primarily on the coast of Africa, that he should be in doubt about his place in the world makes sense.
Is the title a metaphor for something? Is the river the flow of time? The bend, some kind of kink in the flow? Or is it the literal location of much of the story? Does Africa symbolize a part of the world looking for its place? That both Salim and the unnamed African country are seeking stability, so in step with each other, the former trying to go with the flow of the latter until it becomes impossible, tempts us to read it as symbolism to please our English teachers and to justify the author's Nobel prize. I prefer to read it as realism. Salim may be required to make sense of his world but I am under no such obligation.
Salim contemptuously observes the fake Orientalism of British decor intending to suggest India and mentions Indians rejecting Nehru and Gandhi as their "great men." Similarly, he observes the fake "domain" meant to convey the modernization of Africa, the fake museum of African art of Father Huismans, the fake European-style trappings of civilization which is just a framework for corruption. But his life is also fake. His affair with Yvette is an attempt to puff himself up and when the puffery ceases to be convincing to him, he turns on her. He sees Yvette as a social climber who made a wrong decision (choosing the doomed Raymond) but the reader (at least THIS one) sees her as genuinely caring for him and for Raymond as well.
Is Salim's view of Africa and Africans racist? How about Naipaul's? Does he reject Indian stereotypes but buy African ones? On the one hand, Salim stereotypes everyone, because he's trying to figure out the world and where he belongs in it. On the other hand, he cares about others. He tries to help Ferdinand, even while observing his identity crises. He even tries to help Metty, his "slave" which turns out to mean his obligation more than his servant. This even after Metty betrays him.
In the interstices of the story itself, Salim has this epiphany which he returns to on occasion: "Men lived to acquire experience; the quality of the experience was immaterial; pleasure and pain--and above all, pain--had no meaning; to possess pain was as meaningless as to chase pleasure." It's almost Hindu in nature, his true Indian self peeking through while he tries on other roles.
