A House for Mr Biswas

by

V. S. Naipaul

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Vidiadhar Character Analysis

Chinta and Govind’s son, who is a few months older than Anand and named after the author. At school in Port of Spain, he and Anand compete in the exhibition class; after their exam, Vidiadhar is confident and flouts his apparent success by starting to study the subjects he will learn in college. In fact, Anand wins the scholarship, and Vidiadhar does not even pass the exam. He later turns into a “games-playing thug.”
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Vidiadhar Character Timeline in A House for Mr Biswas

The timeline below shows where the character Vidiadhar appears in A House for Mr Biswas. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Part 2, Chapter 4: Among the Readers and Learners
Social Status and Hierarchy Theme Icon
Education, Work, and Language Theme Icon
Colonialism, Oppression, and Escape Theme Icon
...fact that he called his parents “Bap and Mai” and not “Mummy and Daddy,” like Vidiadhar. (full context)
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Chinta and Govind’s son Vidiadhar began a rivalry with Anand at school, where they were both in the exhibition class.... (full context)
Social Status and Hierarchy Theme Icon
Education, Work, and Language Theme Icon
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Colonialism, Oppression, and Escape Theme Icon
On the Saturday morning of the exhibition exam, Anand crammed while Vidiadhar did puja; the family gave each boy various accessories and pens, good-luck charms and fresh... (full context)
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...that he was saving for last. The Biswas children despaired; Govind and Chinta’s rejoiced at Vidiadhar’s apparent success, despite his lack of private lessons. The next Monday, all the boys had... (full context)
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Education, Work, and Language Theme Icon
Colonialism, Oppression, and Escape Theme Icon
...and Shama decided that, regardless of his examination results, Anand must go to college—for one, Vidiadhar was already studying college subjects—but worried about how to find the money. One day, as... (full context)
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Colonialism, Oppression, and Escape Theme Icon
Soon thereafter, the Tuttle children stepped up their own studying, and Vidiadhar was demoralized to learn that he did not even pass the exam. Distraught, Chinta stopped... (full context)