The Theme Of Regret In One Amazing Thing By Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
In “One Amazing Thing” by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is about a group of people who get trapped in a visa office if the Indian Consulate after an earthquake hits. As they wait for rescue, Uma urges everyone to share one amazing thing about their life in order to ease some of the tension from the earthquake. With the specific situation the characters are in and drawing on messages in the novel, stories are important because they contribute to the healing powers of storytelling. When one goes deep into story telling about their life, it can lead to forgiveness or lead to the truth of present struggles in life. With the variety of stories and themes within “One Amazing Thing”, it explores the importance of being in the present moment and with the stories, it shows that sometimes in order to be fully present in the present you must dig deep and examine your past. One theme that comes from the book that relates to the stories told by each individual is how people who hold don’t let past regret go have problems when it comes to appreciating their present. The healing power of our past and the present plays itself out in each of the stories told by all characters in the book.
Two Characters that express the theme are Mr. and Mrs. Pritchett, the bitter angry elderly couple. The Pritchett’s represent the difficulties in a relationship and most of their issues in the present have to do with their past. Their issues prevent one another from growing as a couple together. Uma urging everyone to tell stories allowed the Pritchett’s to use it as an opportunity to explore the past to better the present day. Neither partner is happy because they are allowing their past to weigh them down. Mrs. Pritchett’s depression and her attempted suicide put a hold to their relationship. Within the novel, India is set as the healing center and that’s where Mrs. Pritchett wanted to go for spiritual intervention. Mr. Pritchett on the other hand came off as selfish and cruel when he “couldn't stop himself from blaming her' for being trapped if it wasn’t for his wife’s need for spiritual salvation. His negative views about his wife stop him from seeing her potential to heal and become a better individual. He also fails to see his role and responsibility within their marriage.
The Pritchett’s are not the only characters that express the theme of not allowing the past to affect the future. Cameron is an African American Vietnam veteran who struggles with regret. Without saying much, Cameron shares his trauma to the audience when he says “I am Cameron” to himself in the mirror. His choice of dialogue expresses that he is trying to place himself in the present time. For example, when Cameron had to tackle someone to prevent them from opening a door, he has a wave of guilt that hits him. “I am not a violent man,' he has to reassure himself. He has yet to forgive himself. Cameron’s experience in the military give him an upper hand in emergency situations and he is able to help the others in the room. However, when it comes to handling pressure and stress, he is no better off that everyone else who is in the room with him because he allows his past to weigh him down. By the end, Cameron overcomes his past and develops strong leadership skills. He learns how to use his past as a tool in the present rather than letting it hinder him any further.
One character that was not seeking a visa to go to India was Malathi. Malathi was an employee at the Indian Consulate. Her main regret in life was taking a job at the Indian consulate instead of following her dream to open up her own beauty shop. Malathi’s story shows how she is at a set back from her unfulfilled dreams. Rather than making the effort to achieve her dreams, she has chosen to give up on hope, which in result put a halt to her in present time.
Next character is Jiang. Jiang is a Chinese woman who grew up in India and fell in love with an Indian man but their love was forbidden. With her story she spoke about how the family she created with her husband were exiled and they all experienced racism beyond their control. Her past was something she couldn’t control but it did have an impact on who she is in the present. She recalled how he husband’s family reacted to their love and how his family were not happy about it. Even though Jiang has a healthy relationship with life, her past has impacted her view of the world in the present time. Jiang revealed many other stories to everyone and even her granddaughter was surprised because she was learning new things about her grandmother. She even learned that her grandmother could speak well enough English to tell stories to the others.
Most of the characters in the book allow their past to hold them back from being happy in their present life because they chose to hold on to guilt, regret, and / or shame. The one amazing thing told in each of the stories by the characters trapped in the building is that they all represent a common human trait. When someone regrets something from their past it leaves an impact on his or her future and it affects his or her ability to be in the present. With the common predicament from the earthquake, people must be present in the moment and need to let go of their problems in order to come together and be focused. Overall, the stories are important because in the book because everyone has a story about themselves that shape who they are. The novel teaches readers about the power of our personal stories and how reexamining our past can heal and give comfort when stuck in difficult circumstances.
