Behind the Beautiful Forevers New -td3rq6
Charlotte Damson
Critical Studio
September 28, 2017
Behind the Beautiful Forevers
In theses chapters we learn about the causes of Fatima’s burns and the aftermath. Fatima was jealous about the Husain’s renovations on their house, and started arguing with Zehrunisa. Fatima goes to the Police Station to tell on Zehrunisa. When Fatima returns the fighting continues, Karam threats her and wants Abdul to beat her. Later Fatima pours kerosene on her head and sets herself on fire. Fatima told the police that the Husain family set her on fire. Since her story didn’t add up, Fatima says how the Husains encouraged her to commit suicide, she tells the officer that she light the match but Abdul threatened her and beat her. Abdul and his father are taken to the Police Station and beaten. The police don’t care about the truth, they only want to get as much money as possible, and the Husain’s innocent depends on how much money they pay the police. Fatima dies due to the infection she got from the hospital. Abdul, Karam, and Kehkashan are now all in jail, and Zehrunisa is trying everything she can to get them out. These chapters demonstrate how corrupt the police, lawyers, and doctors are. Everyone only cares about making money in order to survive. They don’t care about justice or the truth, only money. This corruption becomes a problem for the Husains as they run out of money.
After splitting up the section of the book, I got to focused on Chapter 8, The Master. In this chapter we find the Husains, especially Zehrunisa, falling apart. There isn’t enough money to post bail, so Zehrunisa finds herself begging family, friends, anyone in the community for money. Sadly no one helps her. Mitvhi attempts to fill Abdul’s role as a garage collector, but is unable to do a good enough job. When Zehrunisa visit Karam in jail, all he does is yell and blame her for their misfortune. Zehrunisa is at an all time low, she is unable to assist her family and prove their innocence. Everyone, including herself, is getting angry and blaming her. Even Officer Thokale is upset at her for telling people that he took a bribe to protect Abdul and Karam.
Another issue arises when Zehrunisa is unsure of Abdul’s age. Abdul was going to be charged as an adult, even though he is probably a teenager. Zehrunisa’s luck changes when she is able to get a fake school record to show that Abdul was 16 years old. So Abdul is sent to a juvenile detention center. At the detention center we learn about the living conditions and hear exchanges of stories from the other boys there. Since Abdul looks older then most boys, he has to attend a hospital inspection. When there the doctor declares him 17 years old, another example of corruption appears. The doctors says if Abdul pays him 2,000 rupees, he’ll declare him 17 years old. If he doesn’t he’ll write that he is 20 years old, meaning he’ll be changed as an adult and have a harsher sentence if proven guilty. Abdul complains and eventually gets the doctor to declare him 17 years old with no fee.
Later in the chapter, Abdul and the boys at the detention center are sent to listen to a man named The Master. The Master gets emotional with the boys and tells stories of people in jail and talks about redemption. The Master cries when he is telling these stories, and Abdul started crying along with him. The Master’s speech really inspired Abdul, making him want to become a better and honest man.
Questions & Answers
- What was your reaction to the levels of corruption described in these chapters?
At this point of the novel we’ve seen multiple examples of corruption in the community and government. I still am disappointed by the fact the everyones motive is money rather than the truth. Even though I am still shocked by this level of corruption, at this point it is normal and expected. I find it frustrating how the Husain’s innocent depends on how much money they pay the police or Fatima. Even at the hospital the doctors aren’t truly concerned with the health of their patients; they even lie on the medical documents. The issue of money effects these characters morals.
- What are your thoughts on Zehrunisas refusal to pay off Fatima, Asha, and the government agents? Even though she later regrets her decision, was it the correct decision or her only decision?
I believe Zehrunisa was put into a difficult situation. Money is a major issue for her and her family, and it seems like any little chance to prove their innocents results in them having to pay money. Even if they pay its a gamble; there is no guarantee that the police, lawyer, or Asha will stick to their words. We find Zehrunisa regretting her decision not to the police officers and Asha to help her family in Chapter 8. At this point I believe it was her only decision, peoples demands became too costly for her family. By the end of this chapter, Zehrunisa couldn’t post bail for he family, she was begging people for money. Even if she paid everyone who said they could help, there is a high chance that she would be in the same situation.
Outline of Chapter 6, 7, and 8
Chapter 6 – The Hole She Called a Window –
-The Husain’s start renovations on their house
-The children are kept home from school
-Jealousy from neighbors, especially Fatima (one leg)
-Fatima yells through the wall, and Zehrunisa and Fatima go outside to yell and shove each other
-Abdul breaks up the fight
-Fatima goes to the Police Station to accuse Zehrunisa of assault.
-We learn that the police officers are not trust worthy, they are not looking for the truth, but who has more money
-The officers tell Fatima to go home, while Zehrunisa stays
-Asha is at the station too and tells Zehrunisa that she will convince Fatima to drop the accusations for 1,000 rupees
-Back at the Slums, Fatima puts on makeup and is dancing around, Kehkashan (sister) threatens Fatima and the fighting continues
-Karam (Father) comes out side, tells Abdul to beat Fatima
-Kehkashan interrupts and leads her father and brother home
-Fatima’s daughter, Noori, comes home to find the door is locked; she gets Cynthia (hers mothers friend)
-Cynthia lifts Noori to look in the hole; Noori sees her mother pour kerosene on her head and is set on fire
-crowds gather and no one takes her to the hospital or calls fro help due to the fear of getting in trouble by the police and the fear of her ghosts haunting them
Chapter 7 – The Come-Apart –
-Fatima is in the Burn Unit in Cooper Hospital, in a way she feels like she matters
-We learn about the hospital and how dirty equipment is used on her. The doctors tell Fatimas husband to apply the burn cream and drink water.
-Asha warns Fatima not to lie about the situation due to the many witnesses and Asha arranges for the Husains to pay for the hospital if Fatima drops the charges
-Fatima told the police that the Husain family set her on fire, but her daughter Noori says how she saw her mother light herself on fire
-Fatima now tries to prove that the Husains encouraged her to commit suicide, she tells the officer that she light the match but Abdul threatened her and beat her
– Abdul and his father are beaten at the Police Station, and are kept in the stations “unofficial cell”
-Abdul is told that if Fatima dies, he’ll be charged with murder and his sister would go to jail too
– The police beat and question them, Abdul tells the truth, but the police don’t care
-Karam states how they just want to get as much money as possible, and their innocent depends on how much money they pay
-Asha trys to help them, but is asking for money too, she has a phone conversation with an Officer to make the beatings stop
– Fatima dies, the medical records say the burns caused the death, but it was really the infection she got
Chapter 8- The Master-
-Zehrunisa can’t post bail, she is begging people for money
-Mitvhi tries to take Abdul’s role but is not doing as good as a job
-Karam yells at Zehrunisa when she comes and visits
-Office Thokale is mad at Zehrunisa for telling people that he took a bribe to protect Abdul & Karam
-Feeling regret about not paying the police officers and Asha to help her family
-Abdul was being charged as an adult, even though he’s probably a teenager (don’t know his age)
-She got a fake school record to show that Abdul was 16 years old and would be treated as a child
– Abdul is sent to a juvenile detention center
– Abdul and the other boys in the detention center exchange stories
-Abdul has to go through a hospital inspection to check if he is really a child
-The doctors says if he pays 2,000 rupees he’ll be 17 & if he doesn’t he’ll be 20 years old, Abdul complains to the doctor and he declares him 17
– Abdul and the boys are sent to listen to a man named The Master
-The Master tells the boys stories of people in jail, he cries and talks about redemption
-Abdul cries along with The Master, Abdul is inspired and wants to become and better and honest man
