KariAmrutaPatil Theairportwasaford,andshecrossedover.AmrutaPatilsKariisanassemblageofparallel narrativeswithinaperson.TherearefourmainrelationshipstoconsiderWithRuth,Lazarus(herad campaign),herroommatesandAngel.ThedayandthenighthavedifferentmeaningsforKari.The day,isherjob,hereverydaylife,nightherreflectionsandherperceptionofthesmogcity.Ruth andAngelformanintegralpartofhernights.Thenightswhensheisaboatman,sheisrowing throughthesewersofthecity.Herdaysarebustling,hernightsarelonely.Forthepurposeofthis essay,Ishallgointothevariousthemestheauthorreflectsuponthroughthevariouselements, charactersandincidentsinthestoryalongwiththeimageryillustratingthesethemes.Themain themehoweverofthisbookseemstobethedeathandlonelinessthatmanifestsitselfthrough variouswaysintheprotagonistslifeleadinghertobeonthevergeofcommittingsuicidetowards theendofthebook.Thebookislayeredwithmultiplereferences/metaphorsandimagerythat describesthecultureandmindsetofacitywhereitspeoplearehighlydiverseandbafflethe protagonistfromtimetotime.AllofthisIwillillustrateasweprogressfurtherintotheessay.

. Thecharacters Ruth:sheisKarislover.Theotherhalfofhersoul.Apartofherthathaslefther,hastriedto eliminateherselfandbeensavedandthenleft.RuthisthatpartofKari,thatismorepractical, opinionatedandthatwhichbelievesonlyinwhatisuseful.Incrystalpalace,KarimentionsRuths heartonlyhasroomforthatwhichisuseful,andgovernedbythehead.theimageryofRuthand Karisrelationshipisinterestingastheauthorhasillustratedit.Theveryfirstimageisanadaptation ofFridaKahlospainting.Inwhichthetwosidesofheraresplit,andyetjoinedbyoneheartthatis cutintotwo.OntherightisFridathefreegirl,theloverofDiegoRiviera,theMexicanwoman, rootedinhercultureandfiercelyindependent,theoneontheleftisFridathewife,awomanwhois marriedandkeepingupappearancesforthesakeofherhusband,restricted(asappearstobeinher attire),formalandmovinginhighsociety.Onemightwonderwhytheauthorpicksthisimageryto illustratetherelationshipbetweenRuthandKari.WhatistheSplitabout?andasmuchasthis questionbothersonefindsoutlaterthereasonwhyRuthleftKari(accordingtoRuthofcourse).in thechapterthevigilKaritellsLazaruswhyherrelationshipbroke,becauseIhadnopolitic,meansI havenoburningissue.Blurringgenderlines?Bigotry?Culturalgenocide?Dyingplanet?Icantpick. Myfavouritemovementisfloat.Istandfornothing.IespousenothingbutRuth.Myloverneeded moreroughagethancoupledomcouldeverbring.ThisresonateswiththeFridaKahlospainting adaptation.RuthsignifiesthatpartofKari,thatcouldneverbecomeapartoftherealKaris personality,herengagementwiththesocialsystematlarge,justthewayFridaKahlothewifecould neverstaycomfortablewithinthatimageandherlifeasithadstartedtotakeshapeaftershehad marriedDiegoRiveraandmovedtosanFrancisco,thennewYorkandfurther. Ruthisapartofherrecentpast.AndsheisoftentherewhenKariisreflectinguponsomething(also sinceithasbeenarecentbreakup,RuthsmemorieskeepcroppingupinKarismind). Angel:onemightwonder,whythisname?angelisapartoftheFairyTaleHaircampaign,who herselfisdyingofcancer.Herskiniswrinklingbytheminute,shehaslostherhairandonevery onesmindisthethoughtofherdeath.Angellivesalone,withacat,isweakeningdaybydayandher

bodyisrepletewithmedicinesandmorphineprobablymorethanfood.Inspiteofherconditionshe isnotparticularlyasadpersonandtoKari(whoisdrawntoherdying)sheisquitenasty,givingher curtanddirectanswersunsparingly.ButinKarispresent,AngelistheonlyonewhocanseeKarifor whatsheis.Shecallsheraboatman(animagerythatwewillgettolater)andsaysthatpeople whoareabouttokickthebucketwillbedrawntoyouinhordes.KarisharesherfeelingswithAngel whoisunimpressedbythestoriesaboutRuth,insteadonseeingKaristattoosheisenticed.She saysfallenangels,clippedwings,youvegonethroughalotofpainforthis.Thisdialoguesignifies therelevanceofthecharacterAngel.Theauthorhasestablishedherasamanifestationof somethingthatisrealandinevitable,i.e.death.Shetalksoffallenangelsandclippedwings,sheis dyingofcancerandsuccumbingtoherillnesspainfullyeverydayandherbondwithKariandher recognitionasaboatmanaremanifestationsofthedarknessKariisgettingintoslowlyasthebook progresses.AngelasacharacterestablishesmelancholyinthemidstofKarisloudroommates,her rollercoasteradcampaign,andherstrugglewiththesmogcity.InthechapterTheArk,whenKari, fedupofherroommatesandtheboredominthehouse,decidestoleaveinpouringrainforAngels house,thereaderisintroducedtoatenderandcaringsideoftheirrelationship.Karimakesteafor Angel,whohasdroppedoutofthefairytalehaircampaignbecauseofhersickness(onemight wonderthatsheisabouttoexitafairytalealtogether),KariisalluredtoAngelandattractedtobut doesntactonit. Lazarus:heisKariscolleagueandtogethertheyaredevelopingthecampaignforFairyTalehair.He isnotonlyareflectionofherworkspacebutalsoafriend.HedoesnotdealwithKariasaproject likeherroommates,norisKariattractedtohim,thusheprovideswithasimpleworkenvironment whereshecandowithoutbeingemotionalandpersonal.Withhimsheisworkingonthead campaignthatiscalledfairyTaleHair.Atitlethatonlysoundsasappropriateasironicasitis.Kariis tryingtocreateanimageforthecampaignthatislikeafairytaleenchanting,mysterious,beautiful andwhereeverythingendswellintheend(veryunlikeherownlife).Sheiscreatinginartwhatshe doesnthaveinlife.Animageofawoman(inspiredfromKarisownexperiences)thatisdesirable andeverythingonecouldwantfor. NamessuchasangelandLazarus(themanwhomJesusresurrectedafterfourdaysofbeingdead), thenChapternamesliketheArk,Angelonthecornice(areferencetoprobablyoldrenaissance architecture),arepartofsomebiblicalreferencesthatarethereinthebook. Roommates:KarisroommatesDelnaandBillo,formthatpartofhercircletowhichKariisunableto connectatanintimatelevel.Whethershereallywantstoornotisamatterofdebatealso.However theydorepresentthatsectionofmodernIndianyouth,whohaslessregardforoldfashioned customsandappropriatebehaviour(whichisevidentinhowtheybehavewhenKarisparentscome tovisiti.e.BillosmokingandDelnasittingwithherboyfriendsheadinherLap).Theyareoften treatingKariasaproject,sometimesevenflirtingwithher.TheyareanelusivesisterhoodKari longsforbutisnotabletoget. Thestyle AuthorandillustratorAmrutaPatilusesamixoftechniquestodeliverthestorytothereader.Her useofcharcoaldrawing,alongwithphotoswithoverlappingsketches,rendersthedarknessandthe melancholyinthetoneofthetext.Narration/introspectionanddialoguetohandinhandandthe panelsmoveswiftlyintimegoingbackandforth.Itsinterestinghowmostlyonlythepanels

suggestingtheadcampaignKariisinvolvedwithaarecoloured,withfewotherssuggestingsome brighter/lightermomentslikehermotherhavinglotstotalktoher,orherroommatesspendingthe daywithherathomewithouttheirboyfriendsandcookingameal,shemakinglovetoRuth,orwhen AngeldrinksteamadebyKari,photographofangelsreplacementintheagencySusanLush,andKari gettingareallyshorthaircutbeforetheawardceremony.Thehatchedlinesandroughstyleslenda grimmelancholictoneasthebookprogresses.Overlappingoffullpagepanelswithsmallerpanels, andsomeplacesonlyfullpagepanelsheightenthedramainthescenesandaddtotheflow. SewerandtheBoatman Theimageryofwaterisverystrongthroughoutthebook,morespecificallythesewer.Smogcity(as evidentfromthemapinthebook)isMumbai.Andthesewerthatrunsthroughitapartfrombeinga physicalrealityisalsoanelementofrealismwithahintofmagicandmystery.Thesewersavesher. InthebeginningofthebookKarimentionsthesewertothestinkingriverofeffluentsthatsnakes pastourneighbourhood,theoneourbuildingsaverttheirfacesfrom.Thisstatementestablishes thesewerassomethingthatisaneverydayrealitywhichnoonelikestoconfront.Aplacethatstinks andinordertokeepappearancescleannooneevenwantstolookatit.Itcarriesthedirtinwhichno onewantstoputtheirhandsin.butthedayKaricrawlsoutofthesewer,shedecidesthatshewould givebacktothewater,itdeserves.IpromisedthewaterIdreturnherfavour.ThatIdunclogher sewerswhenshecouldntbreathe,thatdayshebecomesaboatmanandasaboatman,youlearn torowcleanthroughthedarkestwater.Thesewer/waterherestandasametaphorforKarisown psycheandexperienceswiththecity.Atnightshedelvesintoherdarkestplacesandtriestorow throughthem.Itreflectsherfears,anxietiesandevencertainvaluessheholdstrue.Forexample, whenshevaguelyhearsofBillodroppingthechild,andaboutunwantedpregnancy,shewanders intothewatersfollowingthecriesofthebabyandtriestosootheitdown.Shethentellstheunborn babythatnothingshouldlivethatisntthelabourofgreat,greatlove.Asaboatmansheisalsoa traveller,aconveyerofmiseryandtranscendence.InthechapterBoatman,Kariiscalleduponby Angelwhoistakingherlastbreath.AlthoughbythetimeKarireaches,Angelhasputeverythinginto place,butitisinKarisarmsthatshegivesoutherfinalsigh. Movingtowardsdeath Asthebookprogressesitgetsdarkeranddarker.Layersofbirthanddeathareintertwined.Angel getssickerandsickerandinthemeanwhiletherearevariousinstanceswheretheauthorsbringsin theelementofdeathandbirth.InchaptertheUmbilical,Lazarusexpressesanxietyoverthethought thathemightcontractadeadlydiseasethroughhislastsexualintercourse,althoughhesayshehad safesex.HeisveryupsetandKaridulytriestocomforthim.NextwegettoknowthatBillois pregnantandthatsheabortsthebaby.ShereflectsbacktothetimewhensheandRuthwere makingloveandRuthexpressedhowtheywouldneverhavetoworryaboutunwantedpregnancy. TowhichKarirespondsIdgiveanythingintheworldtobeabletoknockyouup,Ruthie.Karis wishtobeabletoprocreatewithRuthandheruneasinessoverBillosabortion,tellsthereaderthat Karitreasureslife,butalifewithsomeoneshelovesevidentasshementionsearliernothingshould livethatisntthelabourofgreat,greatlove.Thenextfewpanelspreparethereaderforthedeath ofAngel.ClearlythisisadarkmomentforKari. EventhoughherAdcampaignwins,andsheandLazarus(whoissteerclearofanysortofillness now)areawarded,hermomentaryhappinessissuspendedwhenLazarussgirlfriendTinaappears

withhim.Sheisdefinitelyaprettygirlandwithheraround,Lazaruswontneedanyone.Thismeans thatshemustleave.Slowlylosingoutontherealbondsshehaswithpeople,perhapscontributesto drivinghertotheedge.Evenafterreceivinganawardandbeinginasuccessfulspot,sheismetwith aprofoundsenseofloneliness. Howevertowardstheendsheholdherselfback,fromthatdysphoriathatmayconsumeher,from theedgeofthatterracethatmaydeliverhertotheotherside,fromherselfthistimetosavesome partofherself,toleaveatanothertime.