description A Fine Balance Overview
A Fine Balance is a historical novel by Indian-Canadian author Rohinton Mistry, published in 1995. Set in India during the State of Emergency declared by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi from 1975 to 1977, the narrative traces the intersecting lives of four individuals from different castes and backgrounds in Bombay. The book explores themes of class struggle, political corruption, and survival, and is widely regarded as a significant work of contemporary South Asian literature.
help A Fine Balance FAQ
Who are the four central characters in A Fine Balance?
The novel brings together Dina Dalal, Ishvar Darji, Omprakash Darji, and Maneck Kohlah in a cramped Bombay apartment. Their relationships cross lines of caste, religion, class, and generation during India's 1975-77 Emergency.
How does the Emergency affect the plot of A Fine Balance?
Government policies associated with Indira Gandhi's Emergency reach the characters through forced sterilization, slum clearance, detention, and political intimidation. These are not merely historical background, because they directly alter where the four characters can live and whether they can remain together.
Why do Ishvar and Om leave their village for Bombay?
Ishvar and Om belong to a Dalit family that defies caste expectations by entering the tailoring trade. They seek work in Bombay after caste violence and political reprisals make life in their village dangerous.
Did A Fine Balance win the Booker Prize?
A Fine Balance was shortlisted for the 1996 Booker Prize but did not win; Graham Swift's Last Orders received the award that year. Rohinton Mistry's novel later gained another large readership when Oprah's Book Club selected it in 2001.
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