By the time I put down my copy of A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry, I had been deeply affected emotionally and intellectually by the experience of reading a book that was so riveting and tragic, and which delved into subject matter entirely foreign to my experience. I have always known that I tend to become highly invested in what I am reading, writing or otherwise engaging intellectually in. The direction that my ISU took allowed me to look deep inside my own human nature and allowed my understanding of this novel to be shaped by the ideologies of the profound characters I encountered in this story. The experience of writing this ISU has allowed me to harness my tendency of strong personal investment and transfer it into deep thought and consideration in terms of what this novel means in context to Canada and to the greater world of literature as well.
At first the though of conferencing with other students and having to share my writing with them was slightly daunting, as I have always considered my writing a very personal thing. I began to wonder at first if I might put restrictions on myself. I was afraid that I would write in a more subdued fashion in order to not reveal intimate details about how this book had affected me, and by those means keep the personal details of my writing to myself. However, soon I realized that this was not possible; this book had impacted me far too extensively for me to contain my thoughts about it. This process of letting go, and fully allowing myself to learn and experience through others reading my writing, has definitely assisted my academic and intellectual development-I no longer fear the judgment of others, but welcome their comments and insights with the belief that they will only further my understanding of the task at hand. My personal evolution that has occurred in conjunction with this assignment, follows closely with what I have learned about my novel. My understanding of the Canadian literary scene and humanity in its entirety has progressed deeply through this project, as the ISU requires a much more focused look at literature than I have ever experienced before. A Fine Balance is unlike anything I have ever read previously by a Canadian author, and for a good reason- it takes on the perspective of a Canadian who was not born in our country, but rather India. Nonetheless, Rohinton Mistry now resides in Canada, and writes with just as much intelligence on the human condition as any other Canadian author. I had always known the importance that multiculturalism brought to the Canadian identity, but never before had I encountered the vast impact it has had on Canada’s literary works. Not only did reading and writing about this novel educate me on an issue of great importance- the history of Indian people and The Emergency of 1975- but it made me realize that the nature of the human spirit spans beyond the definition of countries and borders. I was able to connect with this story on a very personal level, and I realize upon reflection that Rohinton Mistry was able to connect each prominent issue of the story to the reader because he effectively harnessed the intrinsic qualities of the human spirit. This has become excellent direction for my own writing as well, as I have seen how to create a story with great emotional impact. Humans all over the world experience the same conditions of emotional life, no matter their background, and it was this aspect of the human condition that Mistry relied upon in order to communicate the emotion of his story.
Through the experience of writing this ISU I have become acquainted with my own ability to take a story and examine exactly how it has affected me, and have also discovered how much I enjoy that process. Had I simply read this book independent from this assignment, I do not believe I would have as clear an understanding of its complexity and its value as a piece of Canadian literature. I am therefore grateful for the insight this ISU has brought me in terms of self and literary discovery. In conclusion, I would highly recommend this novel to anyone who desires a compelling and though-provoking read and is also prepared to be thoroughly moved by its content.
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