Different views of India in Heat and Dust by Jhabvala

Pages:29-30
Renu Dahiya1 and Prem Prakash Khatri2 (Department of English, Singhania University Pacheri Beri, Jhunjunu, Rajasthan)

The book, Heat and Dust by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala displays people with differing views of India in two time periods. Some accepting the culture and some not. Acceptance and personal choice is a reoccurring theme in the book and plays a significant role in Olivia’s and the narrator’s experiences in India. In the novel, levels of society are apparent. This is shown in the manner in which the English behave towards the Indian servants in ‘Heat and Dust’. (P 27 ‘…Olivia saw that one of the slovenly servants had come in, wearing slovenly shoes… and of course it was a mark of disrespect for a servant…..