Student Question
Summarize and analyze the novel My Temples, Too by Qurratulain Hyder.
Quick answer:
My Temples, Too centers on a young Indian woman named Roshi and her group of wealthy and cultured friends. An analysis of Qurratulain Hyder’s novel could focus on how elite socioeconomic status can leave one mystified in the face of political upheaval.
Qurratulain Hyder’s novel My Temples, Too takes place shortly after the end of World War II. It’s set among the violent turbulence that resulted from India’s independence and its partition into two countries, India and Pakistan. The main character is Rajkumari Rakshanda Irfan Ali—or Roshi, for short. Roshi’s family is of the upper class, and most of her friends are of the upper class as well.
The socioeconomic status of Roshi and her peers is central to the story. Roshi’s privilege makes her vulnerable to derision. A scorned romantic partner calls her a “fraud” and a “bourgeois squirrel.” The sophistication and worldliness of Roshi and her group are spotlighted further when they’re referred to as the “Bright Young Things of India, no doubt.”
As the narrative unfolds, this appellation takes on an unsettling irony . Their learned ways and culture leave them out of touch with reality. As “bright” as...
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they are, they can’t grapple with the impending violence. When chaos and destruction arrive in their communities, they have trouble making sense of it. Roshi is stunned. She stands in the doorway “blinking, as if trying to recognize something in the dark.”
An analysis of Hyder’s novel could focus on the role of class. One might discuss how money tends to isolate one from reality even when members of the upper class make attempts to engage with victims of injustice. Think about how the charity event that Roshi, Ginnie, and Diamond arrange for the victims in Calcutta links to both their awareness and their detachment.
One could also analyze the narrative arcs of the characters and talk about what their fates possibly represent. Peechu’s death could symbolize his disavowal of privilege. After all, he chose to become a member of the police force. Meanwhile, Christabel’s return to England marks the ability to travel and be accepted by a Western nation. Finally, Polu’s pivot to farm work indicates his mastery of a different economic stratum, which might be why he survived the upheaval.