Two Leaves and a Bud is a novel by Mulk Raj Anand first published in 1937.[1] Like his other novels, this one also deals with the topic of oppression of the poor, and is about a peasant who tries to protect his daughter from a British soldier.[2] The story is based in the tea plantations of Assam. The book was subsequently adapted to a Hindi film, Rahi, by Dev Anand and simultaneously released in English as The Wayfarer.[3] The book depicts in detail the concept of haves and have-nots and the exploitation of one at the hand of the other, in pre-independence India.[4]
This is a dramatic novel that ends with a "tragic clash of interests and destinies".[5]
Plotedit
Gangu is a middle aged peasant living in Hoshiarpur with his wife Sajani, daughter Leila and his son Budhu. Because of his outstanding debts he ends up losing his lands and as such, readily agrees to travel to Assam to take on a plantation job that would pay well and allow Gangu to own his own land. However upon his arrival Gangu finds that this was all a trick and that the job is essentially slave labor. Their pay is not even enough to buy food and many of the merchants offer loans with interest rates so high that repayment is impossible. Gangu and his family are forced to live their lives in squalor and to endure all sorts of abuse and degradation. On top of this Sajani and Leila are subjected to rape and other sexual degradation.
The general poor treatment and living conditions provoke concern in the plantation's doctor, John De La Harve, especially as the threat of cholera looms over the plantation. He tries to persuade the plantation's boss, Croft-Cooke, into improving conditions of the workers (called coolies) but to no avail, as Croft-Cook believes that coolies are sub-human and are not deserving of even the smallest human consideration. As a result the plantation is struck by cholera and Sajani ends up contracting and then dying of the disease. Since he is too poor to perform the necessary last rites, Gangu tries to borrow money from Croft-Cooke but is turned away because he is believed to be carrying cholera.
Things take a turn for the worse when Reggie Hunt, a British officer, takes notice of Leila and chases her with the intent to rape her. Gangu tries to stop him but is instead shot and killed by Hunt. The officer is charged with Gangu's murder, but a trial comprised predominantly of Englishmen finds him not guilty.
Referencesedit
^. The Times of India. 11 December 2003. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 31 August 2009.
^"Mulk Raj Anand". London: The Daily Telegraph. 29 September 2004. Retrieved 31 August 2009.
^Roy, Amit (12 December 2004). . Calcutta, India: The Telegraph (Kolkata). Archived from the original on 29 December 2004. Retrieved 31 August 2009.
^George, C. J (1994). Mulk Raj Anand, his art and concerns: a study of his non-autobiographical novels. Atlantic Publishers. p. 51. ISBN978-81-7156-445-3. Retrieved 31 August 2009.
^Ravi Kumar, N. P. (2007). Two Leaves and a Bud: A Proletariat Nove. pp. 112–117. ISBN978-81-269-0399-3.
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leaves, novel, mulk, anand, first, published, 1937, like, other, novels, this, also, deals, with, topic, oppression, poor, about, peasant, tries, protect, daughter, from, british, soldier, story, based, plantations, assam, book, subsequently, adapted, hindi, f. Two Leaves and a Bud is a novel by Mulk Raj Anand first published in 1937 1 Like his other novels this one also deals with the topic of oppression of the poor and is about a peasant who tries to protect his daughter from a British soldier 2 The story is based in the tea plantations of Assam The book was subsequently adapted to a Hindi film Rahi by Dev Anand and simultaneously released in English as The Wayfarer 3 The book depicts in detail the concept of haves and have nots and the exploitation of one at the hand of the other in pre independence India 4 Two Leaves and a Bud1954 edition publ Liberty Press AuthorMulk Raj AnandCountryIndiaLanguageEnglishGenreNovelPublication date1937Media typePrintOCLC4096686Preceded byCoolie Followed byThe Village This is a dramatic novel that ends with a tragic clash of interests and destinies 5 Plot editGangu is a middle aged peasant living in Hoshiarpur with his wife Sajani daughter Leila and his son Budhu Because of his outstanding debts he ends up losing his lands and as such readily agrees to travel to Assam to take on a plantation job that would pay well and allow Gangu to own his own land However upon his arrival Gangu finds that this was all a trick and that the job is essentially slave labor Their pay is not even enough to buy food and many of the merchants offer loans with interest rates so high that repayment is impossible Gangu and his family are forced to live their lives in squalor and to endure all sorts of abuse and degradation On top of this Sajani and Leila are subjected to rape and other sexual degradation The general poor treatment and living conditions provoke concern in the plantation s doctor John De La Harve especially as the threat of cholera looms over the plantation He tries to persuade the plantation s boss Croft Cooke into improving conditions of the workers called coolies but to no avail as Croft Cook believes that coolies are sub human and are not deserving of even the smallest human consideration As a result the plantation is struck by cholera and Sajani ends up contracting and then dying of the disease Since he is too poor to perform the necessary last rites Gangu tries to borrow money from Croft Cooke but is turned away because he is believed to be carrying cholera Things take a turn for the worse when Reggie Hunt a British officer takes notice of Leila and chases her with the intent to rape her Gangu tries to stop him but is instead shot and killed by Hunt The officer is charged with Gangu s murder but a trial comprised predominantly of Englishmen finds him not guilty References edit Mulk Raj Anand draws closer to 100 The Times of India 11 December 2003 Archived from the original on 24 October 2012 Retrieved 31 August 2009 Mulk Raj Anand London The Daily Telegraph 29 September 2004 Retrieved 31 August 2009 Roy Amit 12 December 2004 All the world s a Bollywood stage Calcutta India The Telegraph Kolkata Archived from the original on 29 December 2004 Retrieved 31 August 2009 George C J 1994 Mulk Raj Anand his art and concerns a study of his non autobiographical novels Atlantic Publishers p 51 ISBN 978 81 7156 445 3 Retrieved 31 August 2009 Ravi Kumar N P 2007 Two Leaves and a Bud A Proletariat Nove pp 112 117 ISBN 978 81 269 0399 3 nbsp This article about the literature of India is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte nbsp This article about a 1930s novel is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it See guidelines for writing about novels Further suggestions might be found on the article s talk page vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Two Leaves and a Bud amp oldid 1139553879, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
