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A review by moviebuffkt
In a Free State by V.S. Naipaul
3.0
I enjoyed the short stories much better than the longer "In A Free State." I never really understood Bobby and Linda... there were moments that were hilarious, moments that were scary, and a lot of things that I really just didn't get. I think i need to think of this one more. Booker Prize winner #4 is finished!
Book Club Discussion (posted 1/8/12):
The Goodreads description of this book of course focuses on the major narrative of this novel, In A Free State. Honestly, this was not my favorite narrative in the collection. It took me a long time to figure out Bobby and Linda, their relationships and motivations, and whether or not I was even enjoying them as people. Naipaul does a great job expressing tone throughout this collection, the underlying unease of each character is always clear.
The book highlights issues of freedom, ownership, racism and to a lesser extent, self-education. A New York Times review of the story claims that Naipaul's attitude is one that is "affectionate without being overly kind." This is an apt description for the stories in this book, I feel. At different moments, characters are AWARE of injustices, perhaps even incensed about them, but no one ever outwardly does anything about it. Their free state is in fact an unchanging state.
I am not sure which was my favorite of the shorter narratives. I really liked the dialogue/writing style of "Tell Me Who To Kill," about the man who sent his brother to England to study. It is at times funny, sad and infuriating. However, I also really liked (and found a good deal of melancholic humor in) "One Out of Many". The culture shock of the Bombay servant, from his first flight to his first interaction with African Americans in Washington D.C. was equally amusing and depressing.
Discussion Questions:
Did you have a favorite story?
What about it did you enjoy?
What themes did you pick up on through these narratives?
Were you more sympathetic to the characters in the shorter novellas, than to Linda and Bobby?
Book Club Discussion (posted 1/8/12):
The Goodreads description of this book of course focuses on the major narrative of this novel, In A Free State. Honestly, this was not my favorite narrative in the collection. It took me a long time to figure out Bobby and Linda, their relationships and motivations, and whether or not I was even enjoying them as people. Naipaul does a great job expressing tone throughout this collection, the underlying unease of each character is always clear.
The book highlights issues of freedom, ownership, racism and to a lesser extent, self-education. A New York Times review of the story claims that Naipaul's attitude is one that is "affectionate without being overly kind." This is an apt description for the stories in this book, I feel. At different moments, characters are AWARE of injustices, perhaps even incensed about them, but no one ever outwardly does anything about it. Their free state is in fact an unchanging state.
I am not sure which was my favorite of the shorter narratives. I really liked the dialogue/writing style of "Tell Me Who To Kill," about the man who sent his brother to England to study. It is at times funny, sad and infuriating. However, I also really liked (and found a good deal of melancholic humor in) "One Out of Many". The culture shock of the Bombay servant, from his first flight to his first interaction with African Americans in Washington D.C. was equally amusing and depressing.
Discussion Questions:
Did you have a favorite story?
What about it did you enjoy?
What themes did you pick up on through these narratives?
Were you more sympathetic to the characters in the shorter novellas, than to Linda and Bobby?