- Hippies were influenced by the philosophy of Buddha and Gandhi

- biggest challenge for the Hippies was the confrontation with India because of the diversity of religions, culture, languages and nature

-  great hippie travel experience, undertaken by hundreds of thousands in the period 1969-1971, was the “overland route to India”

- several young backpackers travelled the long way by land from Europe to Kathmandu through Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India to Nepal.

- the majority spent a few months or half a year out there, and a few of them settled in Nepal or India for years, living on a low budget with hash and other drugs.

 

Reasons for the trip :

- the romance of the road, the attraction of drugs, the need of breaking the daily, monotonous way of living, the search for direct experience, the desire to explore what’s on the other side of the desert or the mountains, the curiosity to foreign, exotic cultures. And to quite a few, a search for their own identity.

- In the sixties and early seventies, individual travels to The Middle East and The Far East was an exotic experience, which had the capability to change you forever. Backpackers from the sixties and seventies didn’t have today’s security at all. E-mail, credit cards and mobile phones didn’t exist, and a phone call to your home country was a rare emergency action. On the other hand, travellers still had the feeling of being true pioneers and explorers.

 

The Characters:

1970s:

Narrator:

- English background, but her grandparents Douglas and Tessie have lived in India (p.7)

- comes to India to find out about her family’s past (especially Olivia) + self-discovery + getting to know India and its culture

- read Olivia’s letters (p.8 )

- tries to adapt to India as much as she can (wears Indian clothes)

- doesn’t need furniture in her room à modest person (she says she doesn’t want to be distracted from the scene – wants to concentrate on India and finding out her family’s past) (p.6 )

- doesn’t complain about Indian culture à open-minded, tolerant and able to understand the Indians (pp. 7-8 )

- has conversations with other Europeans – she is interested in their experiences – maybe wants to learn from them

Inder Lal:

- landlord of the narrator’s apartment, government officer (p.11)

- lives with his wife, mother and 3 children in some poky rooms

- lots of jealousy and intrigue against him àpeople want to pull him down (p.17)

- very polite, afraid to embarrass people

Chid:

- also English background (p.25)

- came to India to find spiritual enrichment (p.27)

- he has lived like a pilgrim for months

- has a shaved head, leaving only a Hindu tuft on top

- isn’t bothered by negative sides of India (dysentery, robbery,…) – possession and clothes aren’t important to him – only the spiritual purpose counts

- was given the Indian name Chidananda (Chid)

1920’s:

Olivia:

- Olivia went from England to India after she got married with Douglas

- in the beginning she doesn’t like it there, doesn’t feel comfortable, because everything is new to her

- spends the days mostly on her own, because Douglas is at work

- the first time, she feels happy in India is at the Nawab’s dinner party (p.19)

- she is somehow attracted to the Nawab, wants to see him again (p.22)

- can’t speak any other language than English, what makes it hard for her to have a conversation with Indian people like the Begum à she feels left out

- is scared of having a baby in India after finding out about the Saunders’ baby’s death

- has always been affected by graveyards, is touched by seeing the baby’s grave (P.29)

- admires Douglas (p.20)

Douglas:

- is extremely busy with his work in the district (p.19)

- leaves the house early in the morning and comes back home late in the evening, then he still has to do some work

- has grown up in India, is used to the country and culture

- understands Olivia’s problems, tries to soothe her and make her feel better

- seems to really love Olivia (p.31)

- doesn’t seem to like the Nawab, doesn’t accept his invitation (p.24)

- constantly dealing with Indians – doesn’t like the rich men: “they were all fat, and wore spotless loose white muslin clothes, and shone with oil and jewellery.” “They think they’re frightfully cunning but they’re really like children.”

The Nawab:

- governor in India

- lives in a huge palace in Khatm

- is married to Sandy, but doesn’t live with à she is mentally ill (pp.35,36)

- is fond of entertaining Europeans (p.19)

- always comes with a whole party (P.22)

- very self-confident, feels like a really important person (p.22,23)

- interested in Olivia, makes her compliments – “I feel I can tell you anything, anything at all, and you will understand” “You are much more the same type like myself…”

- very dominant, commanding person, but can also be really charming to Olivia

The Begum:

- Nawab’s mother

- in her fifties, handsome

- relaxed manner

IV. Quotations taken from Salman Rushdie’s novel The Satanic Verses 

1.The first quotation sounds like an explanation why the English established colonies all over the world. They say they needed room to spread out and that this is why they made conquests of other countries.It sounds like the quotes are given by an Englishman, who tries to explain the colonialism of England without saying the truth why they really established the colonies – for power and strength.Reading these quotes one gets the impression that the English only had peaceful motives by spreading out, but this is not the truth. The last quote makes clear that the English never left their country, they always brought their culture with them and kept on being English. 2.

The Anglo-Indian relationship is not as peaceful as said in the quotation. The English did not only establish their colonies, because they did not have enough room – No, the English wanted to get more power in the world to guarantee their supremacy, that is why India became a colony of England. Another point why the Indians wanted to become independent of England was that the English brought their culture with them and tried to build up a new England in India. They wanted to change the Indians and that is why the relationship of both was full of trouble.

Heat 

-Who do you think Olivia and Douglas are?

I would say Olivia and Douglas are a married couple from England, because their names sound English. It also makes sense because it seems like the plot plays in India and India was an English colony. Douglas seems like an officer, who has to work there. He must earn good money, because they live in a big house with servants. 

-Where are they?

India, because of the name of the town “Simla” and the words “Sahib” and Memsahib” 

-What are they arguing about?

The quarrel is caused by Douglas telling Olivia she should have gone to Simla. But she doesn’t want to go there and started to burst out all the things which annoy her in India. It seems like she doesn’t feel comfortable there. She heat probably embitters everything and thus she reacts so touched. 

Do you feel that unpleasant heat can have an effect in emotions? Have you ever experienced anything like that?

Of course heat can have an effect in emotions. If you doesn’t feel good, because it is too hot or you even get a headache, it’s totally normal that you are very touchy and vulnerable. The heat is not the reason for a quarrel, but if you are in a bad mood anyhow the heat would embitter it.When I was in Australia we went on a trip to Cairns, where it is really hot and humid. I was so looking forward to that trip, because we wanted to watch an Aboriginal show that day, but after a few hours I felt sweaty, got a headache and just couldn’t enjoy the day any more. Because my mood sank, I was also different to the people I was together with. I got annoyed really quickly and sometimes said nasty things I didn’t mean. I’ve never felt that uncomfortable because of the climate before… 

Dust

 -What are your feelings when you are confronted with the description of such a landscape?

Imagining the landscape of such a flat and dusty landscape, I get a depressing feeling. There is no human being around, only hot sand, a broiling sky and unpleasant wind. I would feel left alone. 

-Explain why you would not like to travel or live there?

I would like to see such a place one day. Travelling with friends I could imagine it to be a great experience, but I couldn’t do it on my own. I guess it is interesting what kind of feelings you get by not only imagining such a place, but actually being there.Even if I liked travelling through such a countryside, I could never imagine living there without any kind of civilization. The monotony and the heat would drive me crazy.

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