Shame

Over the long weekend, I've been reading a book called "Shame" by Jasvinder Sanghera. I want to blog about it, because being a book about a controversial/ethical/strong topic, its provoked thoughts, ideas, views and opininons in me....

"When she was fourteen, Jasvinder Sanghera was shown a photo of the man chosen to be her husband. She was terrified. She'd witnessed the torment her sisters had endured in their arranged marriages, so she ran away from home, grief-stricken when her parents disowned her.

Shame is a heart-rending true story of a young girl's attempt to escape from a cruel, claustrophobic world where family honour mattered more than anything - sometimes more than life itself.

Jasvinder's story is one of terrible oppression, a harrowing struggle against a punitive code of honour - and, finally triumph over adversity."

'Alright, Mum,' I sobbed. 'I will come back, but I can't marry that man.' 'Don't bother. In our eyes, you're dead.'

Its amazing. Her life was such a rollercoaster. Some things in the book (what I've read so far anyway) seem....different. Like, I'm Sikh and Punjabi and unlike her, I was born in India. I know that the stuff she talks about in the book is real. But I, personally don't witness it. In India or in Australia. Sure, there are arranged marriages, but they're not forced or sudden (what i've seen/heard etc). I'm not denying what she's written about. I mean, there are so many factors that affected the way her life turned out. Things have changed now, times have changed now and so have people along with their religions and cultures. But some things I have to say. Like how the Sikh religion teaches equality and fairness for everyone. But her mother didn't want her to speak to or have anything to do with people who were of a lower caste to them. She didn't let her have white friends, wear white clothes, couldn't listen to white music, watch white tv shows, you get the point. Of course, her parents may have had their own reasons to not allow their children those things, but it still seems wrong to me. Anyway, I could ramble on about this book and my numerous opininons of it for ages.

On a positive note, from reading most of this book (nearly finished!), I've opened my eyes (once again) and have realised that I'm really lucky that none of what she went through is happening/has happened to me. I've got more freedom than she could have ever dreamed of when she was my age and I'm truly thankful for that (:

Also, she went on to set up a support centre/organisation for Asian women especially who have the same/similar problems as she and her sisters had (one of her sisters committed sucide due to continual abuse from her husband).

Anyway, this is quite long, I'll be leaving now. Actually, I'm gonna try to finish it tonight (:

Not the best book, but still, its good in its own way lol.