A House for Mr Biswas

by

V. S. Naipaul

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Aryans Term Analysis

A term for the ancient Indian aristocracy that has been widely appropriated to other contexts. Mr Biswas joins the “Arwacas Aryan Association,” a group fighting against many orthodox tenets of the Hinduism practiced by the descendants of Indian indentured laborers in Trinidad, including child marriage and idol worship.
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Aryans Term Timeline in A House for Mr Biswas

The timeline below shows where the term Aryans appears in A House for Mr Biswas. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Part 1, Chapter 3: The Tulsis
Social Status and Hierarchy Theme Icon
Education, Work, and Language Theme Icon
Gender and Family Theme Icon
Colonialism, Oppression, and Escape Theme Icon
...between bites that were his only chance at conversation: “What do you feel about the Aryans?” (full context)
Education, Work, and Language Theme Icon
Gender and Family Theme Icon
The Aryans were Hindu missionaries from India who protested the orthodox tenets of their religion: they wanted... (full context)
Social Status and Hierarchy Theme Icon
Gender and Family Theme Icon
Indeed, “Mr Biswas was almost an Aryan convert” because of his conversations with Misir, who told him to listen to the “purist”... (full context)
Social Status and Hierarchy Theme Icon
Colonialism, Oppression, and Escape Theme Icon
...rejecting Seth’s “piece of scandal.” Seth said he would “cut the balls off all these Aryans” and mentioned that Mr Biswas should try and make friends with his “creole converts.” (full context)
Independence vs. Belonging Theme Icon
Education, Work, and Language Theme Icon
Gender and Family Theme Icon
Colonialism, Oppression, and Escape Theme Icon
Instead of his brothers-in-law, Mr Biswas decided to hang around the Aryans, who were now led by Shivlochan, a definite non-purist who barely spoke English and effectively... (full context)
Education, Work, and Language Theme Icon
Gender and Family Theme Icon
Colonialism, Oppression, and Escape Theme Icon
...a sugar estate owner’s wife who took a particular interest in Hinduism, began coming to Aryan Association meetings and invited a handful of Aryans to tea, giving them Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations,... (full context)