Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Absurdity and Chaos
Nature vs. Modernity
Traditions, Customs, and Expectations
Exploitation of Spirituality
Summary
Analysis
On his bicycle with Pinky, Sampath unsteadily makes his way through the crowded streets to his workplace: the post office in the center of Shahkot. His erratic journey through the noisy crowds eventually makes Pinky feel ill, so she makes him stop so that she can take the bus to work instead. As she climbs aboard, a man winks at her, a sure way to risk her wrath. She pokes him hard with her sharp hairpin, and the full bus drives away noisily, leaving Sampath to cough in the dust and fumes it leaves behind. After reaching the post office by way of a shortcut, he crawls under a raised patch of the wire fence surrounding the building.
The bustling crowds of Shahkot make it a lively and chaotic place, matching the light and satirical tone of the novel. While chaos and wildness are usually considered hallmarks of the natural world, the crowds and noise of life in Shahkot show that even modern urban life can be messy and unpredictable. Pinky’s attack on the winking man on the bus is an early defining moment for her character, as she displays fierce independence and even violent tendencies.
Themes
As Sampath enters the dark and grubby post office, his eyes adjust to the change in light as he hears two of his coworkers express relief that it’s only Sampath and not their boss walking in on them. These coworkers are Mr. Gupta and Miss Jyotsna, who sit across from each other, playfully discussing how the Cinema Monkey had ripped Miss Jyotsna’s petticoat and forced her to visit an amateurish tailor to have it fixed. The subject of an upcoming wedding also works its way into their conversation. At the beginning of the wedding season, the daughter of the head of the post office is to be married. The head of the post office himself has made it clear that many of the wedding arrangements are the responsibility of his employees.
Miss Jyotsna mentioning the Cinema Monkey is a humorous confirmation that the mischievous creature isn’t just an occasional concern, but a constant nuisance in the town. Even so many years after the terrible drought, nature still encroaches into Shahkot, making ordinary modern life chaotic at times. Meanwhile, the upcoming wedding represents yet another form of stressful responsibility weighing Sampath down. The stifling expectations of others make Sampath feel more and more trapped by the day.
Themes
Just then, the three postal workers snap to attention as the head of the post office (Mr. D.P.S.) enters the room and immediately begins listing wedding preparations that still need seeing to. Still feeling drowsy and out of sorts, Sampath remembers how his father had told him to act at work this morning, and imitates Mr. Chawla’s tone as he suddenly says “Yes, sir. I will see to it right now, sir.” Everyone, including Sampath himself, is surprised by this strange change in demeanor, and Mr. D.P.S. warns Sampath that he’s being watched, and not to misbehave.
In this strange moment, Sampath seems to momentarily consider a new means of escape from his overwhelming sense of tiredness and confusion. By agreeing to tend to his work so formally, Sampath desperately tries to give in to his father’s way of life and live more responsibly. But it’s clear from his own reaction that he doesn’t really mean what he says. Try as he might, Sampath simply can’t seem to accept the weight of the expectations that society places on his shoulders. Sampath can’t become his father, even if that would be easier in some ways than being himself.
Themes
As Sampath begins the day’s work, he struggles to focus his attention on the accounts and ledgers relating to the wedding plans and expenses. He tries to sort through these documents for a while before eventually giving up and tending to the day’s mail instead. As usual, he curiously opens the many envelopes to snoop through the interesting pieces of mail as he sorts through them. He sees postcards and reads the names of exotic locations, imagining more interesting places far from Shahkot. He also reads plenty of gossip, news, and personal details concerning the people of the town. When Mr. D.P.S. discovers that Sampath hasn’t completed his assigned work for the day, he gives Sampath a stern warning on his way home. Sampath wonders how he’s supposed to focus on things he doesn’t find interesting, especially when he’s gone without proper sleep for so long.
Sampath continues to demonstrate that he isn’t comfortable with the expectations of his boss and his family. Men of his age are expected to work diligently, but his own mind can’t adhere to these customs, no matter how hard he tries. Notably, however, Sampath becomes much more attentive and involved when he faces a bit of his work that genuinely interests him. His ledgers might be too dull to focus on, but his mind is sharp and inquisitive when it comes to the alluring details of people’s mail. His discovery of this private information may become important later, even though it seems like a childish waste of time in this moment.
Themes
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