World Literature in English
Masala


Group Report
Krishna and Indian Diaspora


Also by Sriniva Krishna: Lulu
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Characters:  Lisa, Bibi, Krishna, Sashi, Grandma, Rita,
Shitwhardhan, Balrama, Anil
  • What are the Cultural identities of the main characters?  (e.g. Krishna, his parents, Rita's parents, her grandma, and Lallu Bhai.)   Which race or kind of people are stereotyped in the film? 

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  • How is Canada's multiculturalism criticized in the film? 

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  • Major motifs -- airplane and flying; What is the significance of the airplane, which appears several times in the film? 

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  • What can the title suggest about the meanings the director wants to convey? 

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  • Three Krishna's -- Why does the director use his own name as the name of both the protagonist and the Indian god which shows up on TV and wear hockey uniform? 

Cultural Identities and Canadian Multiculturalism
in Masala

Group Report Outline
by Emily, Ming, Dolphin, Pony, Albert

  • Cultural identity of the younger generation 
1. Krishna 
    a. no cultural identification; separation
       --- no job in Canada
           doesn't want to go back
           not to go to Vancouver eventually 
   b. cynical personality
       --- defensive -  "loser" personality
           aloof - a house with no neighbors
           numb - "Don't you feel anything?" asks Rita.
   c. relationship with the little boy
      --- Krishna's death

2. Rita
   a. think about her cultural identification through her flying dream
   b. relationship with Krishna
   c. comparison with Sashi
 

  • Culture identity of the older generation 
Lord Krishna---Representative of the older generation; incompatible with their immediate surroundingsƒÜ 

     The Indian god---strong existence as part of Indian culture against  Canada culture 
     Dramatic presence--- depicted in a rather profane form 
     Loss of power---Grandma's complaint 
     Disappearance of people's belief ---
     Kidnapping event
     Human Krishna’s death 

Lallu Bhai
Harry 

  • Motif
  • Masala : a kind of spice

    •               has the meaning of "trouble"
     
  • Airplane : for Krishna -- the complex of hometown

    •                for Rita -- the dream of flying
     
  • Stamp : poor efficiency of Canada mail system 
    • Muticulturalism

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      A. Government Policy
      B. Minister's Attitude
      C. Babu's Life

     
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