A house for Mr. Biswas
(Book)

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Published
New York : Vintage International, 2001.
Status
Franklin Ave. Library - Fiction - Adult
Naipaul, V.
1 available
South Side Library - Fiction - Adult
Naipaul, V.
1 available

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Franklin Ave. Library - Fiction - AdultNaipaul, V.On Shelf
South Side Library - Fiction - AdultNaipaul, V.On Shelf

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More Details

Published
New York : Vintage International, 2001.
Format
Book
Physical Desc
564 pages ; 21 cm.
Language
English
UPC
9780375707162
Accelerated Reader
UG
Level 6.8, 33 Points

Notes

Description
A House for Mr. Biswas follows the life of Mr. Mohun Biswas, a protagonist inspired by Naipaul's father, as he struggles to find his freedom and a house of his own. The son of a poor laborer in Trinidad, Mr. Biswas is forced to live as a guest in one crowded, inhospitable house after another. After his father dies, his family moves in with his mother's sister, Tara, and he is humiliated and beaten by Tara's brother-in-law Bhandat. Mr. Biswas vows, "I am going to get a job on my own. And I am going to get my own house too. I am finished with this" [p. 64]. He goes to work as a sign-painter for the Tulsi family, and there he begins a flirtation with Shama. After his love letter is discovered by Mrs. Tulsi, Mr. Biswas is bullied into marrying Shama, thus beginning a long and unhappy marriage that produces four children, a constant struggle for money, and countless bitter quarrels. After a brief and failed attempt to run a dry goods store in The Chase, Mr. Biswas and his family return to live with the Tulsi family, a pattern that recurs thoughout the novel. It is in Port of Spain that Mr. Biswas comes closest to happiness, working as a journalist for the tabloid Sentinel, writing outlandish stories, and achieving a degree of local fame. Here, too, his son Anand excels in school and shows signs of talent as a writer. But Mr. Biswas's fortunes suffer several reversals, and it is not until the very end of his life that he is finally able to buy a house--only to find the experience much different than he had imagined. A vivid portrait of a man who fights to free himself from the entanglements of family, custom, and religion, A House for Mr. Biswas is also an unforgettable look inside colonial society at the beginnings of great transition. - Publisher.

Citations

APA Citation, 7th Edition (style guide)

Naipaul, V. S. 1. (2001). A house for Mr. Biswas (1st Vintage International ed.). Vintage International.

Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)

Naipaul, V. S. 1932-. 2001. A House for Mr. Biswas. Vintage International.

Chicago / Turabian - Humanities (Notes and Bibliography) Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)

Naipaul, V. S. 1932-. A House for Mr. Biswas Vintage International, 2001.

MLA Citation, 9th Edition (style guide)

Naipaul, V. S. 1932-. A House for Mr. Biswas 1st Vintage International ed., Vintage International, 2001.

Note! Citations contain only title, author, edition, publisher, and year published. Citations should be used as a guideline and should be double checked for accuracy. Citation formats are based on standards as of August 2021.

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