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A review by clitbooks
A House for Mr Biswas by V.S. Naipaul
5.0
my heart, my heart!— the colonial middle class, the rummaging for better. the start of the immigrant’s need for education. and thick, humid prose: the trinidadian sun is always suffocating here; the displaced, indentured servant’s culture clings ever on.
14. to have lived without even attempting to lay claim to one’s portion of the earth; to have lived and died as one had been born: unnecessary and unaccommodated.
59. being able to hold a cigarette between his greasy fingers and greasy lips without staining it.
222. to amuse her, he read from his novels, expounded Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus, made her learn the quotations hanging on the wall, made her sit still while he unsuccessfully tried to sketch her.
——
248. what do you want me to do with the food you feed me? what?
—-
357. I raised my hand but I did not know if it got to the top. I opened my mouth to cry for help. water filled it. I thought I was going to die, and I closed my eyes because I did not want to look at the water.
413. at first, this was only a pose, and imitation of his father.
—
450. what about the crosswords, mohun. couldnt you make me win just one?
—
545. while they waited for the revolution, life had to be lived
546. I’ll break the bow over her parents head. people starving, not getting enough to eat in Trinidad, and she playing the violin in Canada!
588. Mr Biswas needed his son’s interest and anger. in all the world, there was no one else to whom he could complain.
14. to have lived without even attempting to lay claim to one’s portion of the earth; to have lived and died as one had been born: unnecessary and unaccommodated.
59. being able to hold a cigarette between his greasy fingers and greasy lips without staining it.
222. to amuse her, he read from his novels, expounded Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus, made her learn the quotations hanging on the wall, made her sit still while he unsuccessfully tried to sketch her.
——
248. what do you want me to do with the food you feed me? what?
—-
357. I raised my hand but I did not know if it got to the top. I opened my mouth to cry for help. water filled it. I thought I was going to die, and I closed my eyes because I did not want to look at the water.
413. at first, this was only a pose, and imitation of his father.
—
450. what about the crosswords, mohun. couldnt you make me win just one?
—
545. while they waited for the revolution, life had to be lived
546. I’ll break the bow over her parents head. people starving, not getting enough to eat in Trinidad, and she playing the violin in Canada!
588. Mr Biswas needed his son’s interest and anger. in all the world, there was no one else to whom he could complain.