The novel recounts the story of an old lady named Mala Ramchandin through the narrative of Tyler, a nurse at Paradise Alms House. GradeSaver, 14 February 2020 Web.Cereus Blooms at Night (1996) is the first novel published by film-maker, artist, and writer Shani Mootoo. Next Section Quotes Previous Section Glossary How To Cite in MLA Format Anonymous 'Cereus Blooms at Night Themes'. Will review the submission and either publish your submission or provide feedback. You can help us out by revising, improving and updatingĪfter you claim a section you’ll have 24 hours to send in a draft. Mala's story is juxtaposed to legal consequences for further consideration of her suffering. This thematic description of suffering is an artistic response to life and the various ways that humans suffering in the human experience. Because the suffering is ultimate, her experience of suffering is a symbolic representation for the absolute worst fate that a human could endure-mercilessly raped and abused by her own father. Mala's life is defined by suffering that can be called 'existential,' because of its extreme nature. The suffering caused by a parent leads Mala to understand reality as essentially chaotic and horrifying, so that later in life, she is so chronically exposed to horror and panic that she is unable to think or communicate clearly. What is the mechanism that is depicted? It is parenthood. We see Mala's life within the context of her own father's life and decisions so that together, they can be seen as a kind of cause and effect. This novel is largely a depiction of how mistreatment and suffering can warp a person's experience of reality. Is Mala innocent or guilty for murdering a father who chronically abused and raped her? Suffering and mental health He happens to know a lot about her father, so the real judge in the book is actually the reader.

Her insanity leads her to be institutionalized, and within that institution, Tyler explains Mala's family life and dysfunction. The judge deems Mala neither innocent nor guilty, deeming her too mentally unstable to legally hold trial. In this novel, the law basically passes the issue of justice back to the reader. Some novels make strong political statements, but this novel is not one of them. Written by people who wish to remain anonymous

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Cereus blooms at night by shani mootoo