Tagged............

My Favorite Literary Characters.

Rajani has tagged me to write about my favorite literary characters. I am not much into reading these days but do have a small list.

Howard Roark- The highly independent minded architect cum hero of Ian Rand’s ‘The Fountainhead.’ Can’t think of anyone quite like him. Hats off to Ian Rand for creating him.

Atticus- The sweetest father one can have is portrayed so well in Harper Lee’s ‘To kill a mocking bird.’ I read the book years after I lost my dad and found myself missing him more after I read the book and comparing his role in my life with that of Atticus in shaping his children’s lives.

Mandakini- The heroine in Maitrayee Pushpa’s book ‘Idanna mamaha’. The girl’s mother marries another man after her father’s death leaving her paternal grandmother to look after her and returns to visit her years later when she doesn’t even remember the mother’s face. She is brought up with all kinds of negative feelings about her mother. Yet the way she takes up for her would put any thinking individual to shame. At least I did not look at it that way. In this cruel world where a woman is judged at every step the balanced nature shown by Mandakini through out the story stands apart. Maitrayee Pushpa needs to be commended since Mandakini is actually her mouthpiece.

Hassan- Like Rajani I was more impressed by Hassan than Amir in the ‘Kite Runner’ by Hosseni. Such devotion and loyalty! Hard to believe. I shed a few quiet tears for Hassan and wished that he had not died in the end.

Peggoty- The plump maid in Charles Dicken’s David Copperfield who loved him soooo much. As a child I felt happy that she was there for David.

Kundavai- The Chola princess in Kalki’s ‘Ponniyin Selvan. Her intelligence, grace and administrative skills as portrayed in the story served as an inspiration to my young mind. My mother being weak sighted we had read out the story so many times to her and each time we enjoyed it as if we were reading it for the first time.

Heathcliff- I don’t mean his character in Wuthering Heights. There was a sequel written to it by a different author titled ‘Retun to Wuthering Heights’. Unfortunately I forget the name of the author. I’ll check it when I go back since I borrowed it from our college library. The justice done to the character is such that instead of hating the perpetrator of misery to the Earnshaw family you actually end up admiring him for the strength of character. I found the sequel much more interesting than the original.

There are a few others but I’ve forgotten the name of the author or the book so I stop right here.

I tag hillg’mom and Usha to carry this forward.

Tagged Again

Hill g'mom tagged me to reveal the kind of person I happen to be. Here I go-
I am: Not what I thought I was. I recently realized that I too am very sensitive tho’ I’ve never really admitted it even to myself. Despite claims of being light hearted and thick skinned I am a very sensitive person who broods for days over minor issues.
I think: a lot about the future our children are likely to face. The polluted environment, unhealthy competition and a general omission of childhood with toddlers graduating into mini adults. I wonder if the fault lies with us.
I know: that nothing changes much but would like to keep trying all the same..
I want:a peaceful life in the days ahead.
I have: no regrets about the life gone by. There were trying time but they only made life spicier.
I wish: universal brotherhood.
I hate: arguments. I personally feel they serve no real purpose..
I miss: my childhood when my dad was alive. I also miss the quiet confidence of my mother.
I fear: the loss of a loved one.
I feel: there is more to life than petty disputes over non – issues. Why can’t we just move without having to prove a point at every step?
I hear: that the present generation is better equipped to deal with life. If it is indeed so I welcome it with an open mind ask them to correct me if I err. I shall try to to accomadate their views.
I smell: the bhindi sabji I just made.
I crave: for sweets now that it is banned.
I search:like hill g’mom I look for my glasses on a regular basis and get scolded by my husband who produces it from nowhere.
I wonder: if life ends here or if there are other lives where one can atone for grave mistakes. I am all the more curious since I read a book by the psychoanalyst Brian Wiess.
I regret: not having taken better care of myself. It is not very pleasant having hypertension and high sugar.
I love: the sound of rain particularly if it eases out a dry spell.....
I ache: same as hillg’mom-in all my leg joints after being inactive for a bit
I care: for everything but not in an obsessive way.
I am not: I think I’ll let that pass since my answer to the first question already deals with it.
I believe: no human being is created bad.
I dance: I have a flat foot so dancing is out.
I sing: I do not sing except when no one is around. But I love music and musicals.
I cry : easily sometimes for no real reason.Melodramatic movies would move me to tears and once I had at least ten people hushing me up
I don’t always : agree with others but I rarely show it. I believe that each one is entitled to his/her views.
I fight : my tears more than ever before.
I write: whatever comes to my mind.
I win: sometimes but lose more often.
I lose: my cool when I have to deal with injustice
I never: form a first opinion about a person. I wait to know the person better.
I always: enjoy the rare occasion that I get to spend with my brothers and sister.
I confuse: people's faces.
I listen: to the other point of view and try to balance opinions.
I can usually be found: at home after college.
I am scared: that my husband may precede me to the after world.The thought of spending my last days alone terrifies me.
I need: my time and space after a hectic schedule.
I am happy: an earlier response answers that one. I am also happy that I took up my job when I did. I have very good friends who are like family.

I invite anyone interested to take up this tag.