Jasmine Novel Summary and Analysis English Literature YouTube Lecture Handouts

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Jasmine Novel Summary and Analysis English literature

Bharati Mukherjee

  • Indian American-Canadian writer
  • professor emerita in the department of English at the University of California, Berkeley
  • Novels, short stories, essays, travel literature, journalism.

Jasmine

  • Jasmine - Bharati Mukherjee
  • 1980s
  • Mukherjee՚s own experiences of dislocation and displacement in her life helps her in recording the immigrant experience of the protagonist in this novel.

Summary

  • Based on the short story in The Middleman and Other Stories,
  • Story of a seventeen-year-old girl
  • Widowed after her husband՚s murder in a bomb attack.
  • Planned to move to Florida, but as a result of his death Jasmine continues with the trip on her own.
  • Travels from Florida to New York City to Iowa.
  • Story from her childhood about an astrologer
  • Jasmine (known as Jane in Iowa) is 24 years old, pregnant and living with 53-year-old banker Bud Ripple Mayer, and his adopted son Du.
  • Bud insists on marrying Jane, who refuses for unknown reasons.
  • Bud is also in a wheelchair
  • Jane and Bud have a neighbour named Darrel Lutz, a recent college grad who inherited his family՚s farm
  • He is contemplating whether or not to sell his farm.
  • Bud refuses to loan Darrel money
  • Darrel has some romantic interest in Jane.
  • Jane - life with Du and Bud
  • Jyoti in India. Teacher - Masterji, teaches English.
  • Masterji - Jyoti to continue her education
  • Jyoti՚s father passes away, she meets Prakash. They marry
  • Calls Jasmine
  • Jasmine runs a Ladies՚ Group raffle
  • Prakash – letter to study in America
  • Killed.
  • Jasmine continues with Prakash՚s plans to move to Florida
  • Sexual harassment - Half-Face
  • Jasmine meets Lillian Gordon,
  • Lillian also has a daughter named Kate Gordon-Feldstein - photographer
  • Calls Jasmine “Jazzy,” and helps Jazzy get to New York to meet Professor Vadhera.
  • For five months, Jasmine lives with Professor Vadhera
  • Green card, for fifty thousand rupees, or three thousand dollars.
  • Jasmine works for Wylie and Taylor Hayes, friends of Kate Gordon-Feldstein.
  • Takes care of their adopted daughter, Duff.
  • Taylor calls her “Jase.” Wylie falls out of love with Taylor and falls for Stuart.
  • Jase spots Sukhwinder, the man that killed Prakash
  • She flees New York for Iowa
  • Bud begs for Jane to tell him she loves him, but she doesn՚t respond.
  • Taylor tries to convince Jase to come with him to California
  • She follows Taylor and Duff to the car, whispering “Watch me re-position the stars,” to the astrologer.

Manishika