Funny Boy

by

Shyam Selvadurai

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on Funny Boy makes teaching easy.

Gandhiyam Movement Term Analysis

A movement inspired by Gandhi’s teachings that aided Tamil refugees displaced by ethnic violence in the lead-up to Sri Lanka’s Civil War. Jegan was a member of the Gandhiyam Movement before fleeing Jaffna for Colombo.

Gandhiyam Movement Quotes in Funny Boy

The Funny Boy quotes below are all either spoken by Gandhiyam Movement or refer to Gandhiyam Movement. For each quote, you can also see the other terms and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Masculinity and Queerness Theme Icon
).
4. Small Choices Quotes

“But we are a minority, and that’s a fact of life,” my father said placatingly. “As a Tamil you have to learn how to play the game. Play it right and you can do very well for yourself. The trick is not to make yourself conspicuous. Go around quietly, make your money, and don’t step on anyone’s toes.” […] “It’s good to have ideals, but now you're a man, son.”

Related Characters: Appa (speaker), Jegan Parameswaran
Page Number: 169
Explanation and Analysis:

“How do you know he’s innocent?” my father asked. “We can’t be a hundred percent sure.”

“You mean you honestly think he’s guilty?” Amma asked, astonished.

My father was silent. We all stared at him, angry and hurt that he would really believe this.

“Look,” my father eventually said, “the best thing is to get as little involved as possible. If they find out that Jegan is connected to the assassination attempt, we could be accused of harboring a terrorist.”

“Nonsense,” Amma said. “Why would they accuse us?”

“These days, every Tamil is a Tiger until proven otherwise.”

Related Characters: Amma (speaker), Appa (speaker), Arjie, Jegan Parameswaran
Page Number: 178
Explanation and Analysis:
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Gandhiyam Movement Term Timeline in Funny Boy

The timeline below shows where the term Gandhiyam Movement appears in Funny Boy. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
4. Small Choices
Forbidden Love and Family Theme Icon
Nationalism, Ethnic Conflict, and Violence Theme Icon
Justice, Power, and Moral Awakening Theme Icon
...from Jaffna, asking his help employing their son Jegan, who had been working with the Gandhiyam movement. She includes a childhood blood pact that Appa signed with her husband, in which... (full context)
Nationalism, Ethnic Conflict, and Violence Theme Icon
Justice, Power, and Moral Awakening Theme Icon
Instead, Amma is the one who asks Jegan about the Gandhiyam movement—which resettles Tamils uprooted by the riots—and then flatly asks if they are “connected with... (full context)
Masculinity and Queerness Theme Icon
Forbidden Love and Family Theme Icon
Nationalism, Ethnic Conflict, and Violence Theme Icon
Justice, Power, and Moral Awakening Theme Icon
Jegan also grows close to Arjie, recounting his time in the Gandhiyam organization and inspiring Arjie to live more purposefully. Over ta drink one night, Appa mentions... (full context)
Nationalism, Ethnic Conflict, and Violence Theme Icon
Justice, Power, and Moral Awakening Theme Icon
...he knows about the torture in Jaffna, and Jegan says he knows someone from the Gandhiyam movement who was tortured—and of whom Arjie reminds him. This friend migrated to Canada, while... (full context)