Roots

When we try to break free from the ties that bind - whether our motivations for doing so are noble, selfish, or somewhere in between - will we be able to discover ourselves, or just end up feeling lost? The stories presented here explore the ramifications of moving on, moving away, and even trying to turn back. These characters attempt to separate themselves from oppressive forces such as families, traditions, and relationships, with frustrating results and infrequent success. Jhumpa Lahiri's collection of stories takes its title from a quote by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the first part of which describes the overall theme of Unaccustomed Earth: "Human nature will not flourish ... if it be planted and replanted, for too long." The uncertainty and frustration of her quiet protagonists speaks to this, illustrating the toll that starting from scratch over and over can take on someone's life.

I feel I should emphasis the sobriety that pervades these stories, if only because I believe in reader beware. At the same time, there is also a sense of fulfillment to be found in every one of these stories, which works to counterbalance the heavy atmosphere. For example, the darkest story - Only Goodness - centers around the protagonist's alcoholic brother and her fear that he will be a threat to her new family. Yet there is such a sense of actualization at the end, both in terms of emotional weight and technical storytelling, that even without complete closure it manages to satisfy. Other stories are a not as bleak, such as in A Choice of Accommodations, where the married couple experience an unexpected moment of vulnerability and passion. And in what is probably my favorite story, Hell-Heaven, which chronicles the drama of a one-sided love affair, one person's wrongdoing actually mends a friendship - creating a sense of bittersweet compassion. Many of these stories are, as I implied before, emotionally draining; the final three in particular, all concerning the lifelong acquaintance of two isolated people, strike a blow (although, similar to Only Goodness, Lahiri foreshadows one character's fate). Indeed, the weight of these characters' struggles sometimes made it a chore for me to continue. 

My mixed emotional reaction aside, I did feel as though I conquered something once I finished Unaccustomed Earth. Packed with dense character backgrounds and a general sense of unexpressed and unexplored feelings, these stories give the reader much to contemplate. Rating: 4.5 lost bangles out of 5.