Everyone faces hardships differently, and with every hardship, individuals have the verdict of whether to persevere or surrender. In the novel Nectar in a Sieve, the author Kamala Markandaya explores themes of optimism and how it weaves its way into the hardships of Rukmani’s and Nathan’s lives. Throughout the novel, the family faced many challenges. These challenges were indeed difficult at times, but certainly not impossible to deal with when one is in an optimistic state of mind. Though the present can be unkind—and under the circumstances, all may seem hopeless—the outcomes will be favorable in the end if hope is instilled. Not only should hope be there as a comfort, but it should be used with a greater passion, otherwise
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Throughout the novel, Rukmani had lost two children, and also her mother. The grief of these deaths didn 't affect her so strongly that she couldn 't move on with her life, as she would think about how the death had lifted the burdens off their shoulders. She wouldn 't have to worry as much about her children going hungry or her mother suffering anymore. In the novel, Rukmani stated that “...the sorrow within me is not for this body which has suffered and in suffering has let slip the spirit, but for you, my son,” (Markandaya 100) which suggests that although Rukmani had felt melancholy, she knows that now he 'll suffer no more. Rukmani loved her children, but the bodies of them had suffered and now she did not have to worry about them having to go through more hardships. She felt contrite that she had ever put her children in a state of poverty and hunger. All in all, Rukmani’s optimistic views on these hardships allowed her to get through the deep emotional pain of losing a beloved family member. Even though the whole gamut was a difficult dilemma for the family, Rukmani noticed the betterment of the situation overall—that it would be beneficial for the family to have one less person to feed, and to have one less burden on their
Throughout the novel, Rukmani had lost two children, and also her mother. The grief of these deaths didn 't affect her so strongly that she couldn 't move on with her life, as she would think about how the death had lifted the burdens off their shoulders. She wouldn 't have to worry as much about her children going hungry or her mother suffering anymore. In the novel, Rukmani stated that “...the sorrow within me is not for this body which has suffered and in suffering has let slip the spirit, but for you, my son,” (Markandaya 100) which suggests that although Rukmani had felt melancholy, she knows that now he 'll suffer no more. Rukmani loved her children, but the bodies of them had suffered and now she did not have to worry about them having to go through more hardships. She felt contrite that she had ever put her children in a state of poverty and hunger. All in all, Rukmani’s optimistic views on these hardships allowed her to get through the deep emotional pain of losing a beloved family member. Even though the whole gamut was a difficult dilemma for the family, Rukmani noticed the betterment of the situation overall—that it would be beneficial for the family to have one less person to feed, and to have one less burden on their