31 pages • 1 hour read
Anita DesaiA Devoted Son
Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1978A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Background
Authorial Context: Anita Desai
Anita Desai was born in 1937 in Mussoorie, India. Her mother was German, and her father was Bengali. Desai was raised speaking several languages, including Hindi, German, and English. She attended the University of Delhi and graduated with a degree in English in 1957.
Before writing the short story “A Devoted Son,” she wrote several novels, including Cry, the Peacock (1963), Where Shall We Go This Summer? (1975), and Fire on the Mountain (1977). Her stories often focus on oppression, with the first two novels looking at the oppression of women. Desai's other novels include Fasting, Feasting (1999), Clear Light of Day (1980), In Custody (1994), The Zigzag Way (2004), and The Artist of Disappearance (2011).
“A Devoted Son” was published in 1978. Since then, Desai has written novels, short stories, and children’s books, and she is praised for her ability to evoke mood and character using visual images that range from the botanical to the meteorological.
The influence and opportunities that Desai was exposed to are reflected in “A Devoted Son.” Rakesh is afforded privileges that others are not, and he then uses his education to help the people he loves. There is a sense of pride in learning new things and using that information to improve the lives of others. His attitude perhaps reflects that of Desai.
Literary Context: India During the 1960s and 1970s
India attained independence from the British Empire in 1947. It seemed the country was ready to stand on its own two feet, and there were plans to ensure India would have the financial stability and military power to have the security it hoped for. The prosperity didn’t last, however, and by October 1962, with the defeat of the Indian Army by the Chinese in the North East Frontier Area, it seemed like the country was on the brink of being taken over by another superpower.
The government censored what could be portrayed in movies, and individuals needed a permit to consume alcohol. There was a four-year wait to obtain a vehicle. Life in India was dominated by controls, prohibitions, and scarcity. India also saw political upheaval, as well as protests by students and the general public. From 1975 to 1977, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi suspended democracy and all constitutional rights and ruled the country as an authoritarian. Other oppressive regulations were introduced, including a 1976 compulsory sterilization program to reduce the chance of a population explosion.
In 1977, Moraji Desai of the Janta Party took control, inspiring hope that life would become better. “A Devoted Son” was published in 1978, and the story portrays a sense of hope after decades of prohibitions and unrest. In the story, people no longer have to wait to get a vehicle, and it appears that education and finding a way to improve the lives of the Indian people is a focus of those who have the means.
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