Anil's Ghost

I have a few things I’d like to point out after reading Anil’s Ghost by Michael Ondaatje. The first is that he has an interesting and creative style of writing. The book and the chapters are choppy and give an open-ended feeling when finishing each section. I followed this pretty easily, realizing that the sections all related to dysfunction during difficult times, such as war. But his style mimicked the reality in a literary way. This caused the reader to feel a little confused while still trying to gather information that the author was giving out almost like clues.

While reading, I had to remind myself that the author was a man. A lot of the comments and the ideas seemed to be written or created by a woman. In this essence he portrayed an unbelievable insight into a woman’s psyche. He captured the element of a woman that makes her want to be strong and yet always has an emotional attachment to something she believes in. I felt the same when it came to the other characters like Gamini or Sarath, but the feeling was strongest with Anil.

My favorite quality and feature of Anil’s Ghost was the natural history. Because the characters are dealing with deaths and the relevance of the surrounding evidence (dirt, plant material, or larvae) is important, the reader learns a little about the natural side of Sri Lanka. This is interesting to me because this is my number one fascination: nature. My major is actually called Environment and the Humanities. I enjoy learning about nature and our connection to it, no matter where it is. In this book, Ondaatje points out numerous birds that I have never seen, storms and how they cross the island, and the natural terrain. I actually get a visual to the beautiful aspect of a country even in a time of war.

We, as readers, also learn little things about the culture in Sri Lanka. Like how they might sleep off a drunken episode by lying in front of a running vehicle. Or how at one time, Tamils would plant three trees in the garden, murunga, pomegranate, and mango, for specific purposes. “Murunga leaves were cooked in crab curries to neutralize the poisons, pomegranate leaves were soaked in water for the care of eyes and the fruit eaten to aid digestion, The mango was for pleasure” (240). Another interesting cultural event was the painting of the Buddha statue. There is a quality of fantasy, mystery, and awe in the act of painting the eyes of Buddha. The relevance of this in the book is not specified. I believe it is a contradiction to the events that are occurring within the plot. The Buddha that is built and painted in the finality of the book is like Anil’s character in the story. She goes into Sri Lanka looking for the truth, with her eyes wide open. She does not trust much of anything. The Buddha statue is commonly left with closed eyes, unable to see the fighting and the brutality, but this one is painted to see.

Taxi Drivers

I had to find out more about the taxi drivers. I visited the New York Taxi Workers Alliance (NYTWA) web site. I am amazed. It never crossed my mind until reading Das Gupta’s Unruly Immigrants that taxi drivers had it so bad.

The organization is not based on cultural or ethnic background; rather it is based on a common occupation: taxi driving. The members vary on levels of ownership of the vehicles. Some own the car (18%), others are in the process of purchasing (40%), and still others rent or lease the car (25%). Because the ownership varies, so does the maintenance responsibility. Those who own or are purchasing the cab must keep up with all the maintenance. Those who lease are free from this burden but have daily fees and cost for using the vehicle. In either circumstance, the cab drivers are spending money daily or weekly in order to make money.

Another interesting fact about taxi drivers is the large lack of health care benefits. 80% of the full time drivers in New York are uninsured! This is unbelievable. Not only are they uninsured but they are not making enough money to cover any health emergencies. And these taxi drivers could be at risk of violence. Just as recently as August of 2010, a man was attacked by a passenger in a hate crime.

The NWYTA believes that “there is more than ample money in the industry to cover such benefits” and they currently have a Health Rights campaign under way to progress this idea. Despite of the problems that face taxi drivers, the NWYTA sets up health fairs to provide information, screenings, and advice. This is thanks to many generous healthcare providers, charities, school, social services, and many others. Not only is health service provided, but also legal and financial advice.

It is amazing how much this organization does for its members. With the $100 yearly fee, there are many benefits. They include discounts for vision and dental care and many others things, free life insurance ($5,000), free computer classes (drivers and family members), and legal consultation. These benefits seem well worth $100 a year.

It is difficult for me to understand the lifestyle these taxi drivers have. They are living not only from paycheck to paycheck, but from day to day. Also it seems impossible to catch up, to break even. If you can’t break even, it must be even more impossible to make changes in your life, saving for things such as health care, education, or even family expenses.

On a lighter note, the NYTWA is proud to be the “ambassadors” of the city. They greet newcomers and bid them good bye. They are often the first and last to be seen at the airport. The taxi drivers are always available. Many work 12 hour days for 6 or 7 days a week. In one sense, they are the face of the city. And even though they are faced with difficulties, their words have a positive ring to them. “Justice delayed will not be justice denied.” They are in it for the long haul and make it clear that it will be worth the wait to make sure that change is made.

learning about new places

Due to the weather and my insufficient icy driving skills, I tried to stay off the road as much as possible. But I started looking into some things that are going on in Sri Lanka.

I found this interesting article titled "The Sri Lankan army is selling vegetables". As I read it became clear that this was not comical in any way. The war in Sri Lanka ended in 2009 but the country continues to be in a military state. The army has taken over practically everything. The army is, as the author of the article says, "extending its influence over civilian affairs". Even as far as to run two resorts on the large island.

These conditions leave little room for opposition. The government is militarized and freedom is limited. There supposedly is even a monetary bonus for military members to have as many children as they can. This is not democratic. Even the proper name of the country seems a little off: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.

It leads me to re-appreciate the freedoms that we take for granted here.