Please answer the following questions individually:
- Summarize what you find most important in this novel in a few sentences.
- Manjit chooses his personal freedom before his parents' wishes. Do you think he did the right thing? Explain!
- Is it possible to have your personal freedom and please your parents at the same time, do you think? Give reasons for your answer.
- Do you think Manjit could have had any other options? Explain!
- What's your overall impression/opinion of this book?
1. The first important happening in the book I would say is when Manjit meets Lisa, and how his thoughts change because of her. MAnjit then starts stealing, skipping and other bad things which also is a very important part where we can see that he is losing his hope for a free future. Manjit and his family travels to India and Manjit got left behind there, he became really angry because they'd said that it was just a regular vacation. Other important parts is when he decides to travel back to England and to his arranged marriage. But he doesn't attend at it..
ReplyDelete2. Yes it was the right thing to do. You can discuss his way of doing it but I don't think there is a better way of doing it in Manjit's situation. His parents don't want to understand Manjit's situation and when it's like that you have to do drastic things.
3. It depends on what your parents want from you, mine for example wants me to succeed in life, both with my career and family. But they will never push me to do things I don't want to do.
But if your parents are more strict and not free-thinking you might not be able to do as you wish. And that puts you in Manjit's situation.
4. He could have done it in another way but it wouldn't change the outcome. He knew from the start that he probably had to run away to get rid of the arranged marriage and the strict Punjabi-culture.
5. This is book is very touching and interesting. Manjit lives in a world where he doesn't belong. The fact that he's also a teenager makes it more interesting. It could have been me in his situation.
I also find the way that the writer writs in very good as it describes the characters in a good way.
/Jesper Cato spif1
1. That Mannys parents makes him to go to India when i already has started a life in England because they want him to marry a girl from India. Manny don´t want to marry the girl from India so he rebels against his parents. Manny already has a girlfriend, Lisa. He likes her alot and don´t want to move.
ReplyDelete2. Yes i think it´s the right thing because he already have a life in England and it´s wrong of his parents to just take his life away and don´t think of Mannys feelings.
3. Yes it´s possible but not in Mannys situation because his parents want to leave England and Manny doesn´t. If it´s another situation like if someones parents want their son to come home at midnight and he wants to come home one hour later you can discuss it.
4. No, you have to follow your dreams. The worst thing you can take away from someone is their dreams.
5. I don´t really like to read but it was an interesting book. The book also made me a little mad because how his family treated him.
Danne Posa
1. The most important thing that happened in this book is that Manny does exactly what he wants. Not what his parents, brothers or friends want. His parents want Manny to be a real punjabi man but Manny chooses to go his own path.
ReplyDelete2. I think Manny did the right thing, because it is Manny's life. Manny's decisions and he has the right to choose his fututre. Although it is ok for his parents to want something for their child. But if he chooses something they have to accept him and his choices.
3. It depends on the family. I mean, if the parents are like Manny's I don't think Manny could really have his freedom and don't dissapoint his parents at the same time. If Manny had a little bit more open-minded parents maybe they could've compromised, but I think free will is more important. And parents are supposed to accept their child.
4. He could have gotten married and stayed with his family, of course. But he didn't want that. But other than that, I don't think he really had much of a choice, other then to leave. And I think he did the right thing.
5. I think this book is good but it didn't end how I wanted it to end. The book ended very realistic. I wanted a fairy tale ending, where he leaves, gets together with Lisa and he also gets a perfect job where he travels around the world. Then he has a big family and grows old with Lisa. But overall, I think this is a good book and you should read it.
Maya Figueroa Nannskog
1. I find the politic questions very intresting. Like when he don't wont to get married with someone he don't love. When he can't look at some channels on the TV because he's parents don't wont him to have a opinion. They don't think that he shouldn't know whats happining in the rest of the world.
ReplyDelete2. Yes! Manjit does the right thing to do what he wants him self. It's Mannys life then he should do what ever he want with it. His parents don't think that he should be more different then his parents.
3. My parents want me to do what i wont/likes to do. When im happy they are happy. At the sametime they thinks it's important that i do great in school and if i don't im in big trouble. When i do great in school they become happy and so do i. So yes I think I please them and my self.
4. If he don't do like his parents want him to he would be thrown out of the family and his parents wouldn't talk to him again. He become muck in there eyes.
5. It's not my type of book but i quite think that the politics questions are very instructiv. We got a very big problem to day with this questions even in "perfekt" Sweden. I heard about a family on Gotland who married the oldes daughter to the neighbors son because of the large fields and alot of sheeps. Which makes alot of money.
The book was good but as i said not my type of book. The book didn't got me stuck with it. The ending was very good.
Lukas Prabert
Self-appointed Chairman of SPIF
1. What I find most important is that Manny follows his heart and does what he wants. That he realise that it is important to do what you want and to be able to stand up for himself. I also think that it´s important that he gets back in school after it´s all over. Beacuse that shows how important school is.
ReplyDelete2. Of course it´s important and specially in Mannys case. Because if you follow other peoples thoughts and not your own, it is most likely that you end up unhappy.
3. Of course it is, maybe your parents wanted you to be a successful doctor but instead you became a successful buissnes woman. and of course it depends on the parents if you have parents like Mannys the chance is not so big but if you have opened minded parents of course it can be arrenged.
4. No, i really think that this was the only option he had, to be able to have freedom and do as he wants. Maybe he could have done it in a different way.
5. I really like the book. I read the book in fifth grade and i started to read his other book which is great too. But as a lot of people in our class thinks I also was a lite dissapointed that he didn´t got back with Lisa. Other than that it´s a great book. It captures a lot of emotions and you can really relate to Manny, though im not indian.
Felicia Borgström
1. I think that the most important thing in the book, is that Manny shows and proofs that it´s his life and that nobody can tell him what to do or make him do something he dosen´t want to.
ReplyDelete2.Yes, I definitly thinks that he did the right choice. Because his parents wishes was not the best for him, the wishes was best for his parents. And they didn´t take consideration to his amotions and feelings.
3.Yes it´s possible. But then your parents wishes have to be the best for you. Like get a nice education, because they want you to learn as much you can and find something that you are passioned about.
4.No, I don´t. Because his parents are very religious and I don´t think that they will let it go just because one of their sons dosen´t want to get married. But you never know, because if he had asked them the might had let him be. But i don´t think that would be possible, because the are living by traditions.
5.I liked the book very much. Because it´s intressting to read about things that is happening today, that you don´t know so much about.I also liked the fighting spirit Manny had of becoming free from his parents.
Malin.
1. Manjit is a boy who is 16 years old, his parents want him to marry a girl that he has not even met or know. Manjit want to continue going to school and marry a girl he knows and loves. He meets Lisa, a gilr that he falls in love with. Even if their love for each other is strong, it takes its final when Manjts parent want him to go to India. His family leavs him in india. His parents are planning his wedding while he is in india. On his wedding day, he holds, and is staying with Lisa's parents. And start working in a shop and save in order to go to college.
ReplyDelete2. You live your life for you, and no one can tell you wath to do with your life. And Manjits parents never wanted his best, thay only wanted wath was best for theire reputation. So i think that Manjit did right by escaping from his wedding.
3. it depends on the way to do your parents proud of. if it is grades you can please them and live your life at the same time. But in Manjits case he can´t, then he must learn to love his wife and then living life with her, but it is not certain he can always do that.
4.No, it was his only way out, no one listened to him so he had to escape from his own wedding. luckly he had his uncle´s help.
Morsall Koista
1. The battle between what Manny think is right and what his family think is right.
ReplyDeletehe wants to do what he feel like doing, not following all the rules that comes with being ha Punjabi member. He lives in England and adjusts to the life there. So I think that the most important subject in this book is to everything from Manny’s point of view and his way to break free.
2. I think that he is doing himself a favour. If he doesn’t want to live like them he has the rights to say no. He’s not living their life.
3. Maybe if you find a way to compromise. If your parents respects you and so on. There is always a way to work things out. You just have to be honest with each other.
4. Not if he lives in a family like that..
5. I think it’s a good book because you can see how Manjit tries to be more independent. How he tries to break free from his parents religion. It’s very lifelike.
/ Molly Adamsson
James Li
ReplyDelete1. The most important part i find in this novel is maybe Mandys decision about whether he should follow his parents wish or just follow his own path and live with fredoom.
Theres many important things in this novel but in my case i think that the decision part is the most import because Mandy decision is like the keypoint in this book.
2. I think that he did the right thing because sooner or later he is gonna grown up and do his things in his own way. Its not wrong to follow the parents wish but he cant let them to decide his whole life and do nothing about it.
We all are born to life our own life.
Mandy will never mature if he always follows his parents wish and never decide for his own good.
I am totally supporting Mandy in his decision.
3. I think that its possibly but in Mandys case i cant really say it is possible because his parents have always tried to force their wish into Mandy and never really considered his own decision.
If the parents let their child choose their own decision then it is possible to place the parents at the same place.
If the parents are just trying to make their child understand their wishes instead of trying to force it to the child then it is possible place fredoom and parents at the same place.
4. I dont really know because i have never been in his position so i cant really just say my thoughts because it will maybe never even work.
The easiest and hardest way is maybe that he can just put his family business and do things his own way and live with his fredoom.
5. My impression of this book is like all others, that is to say nothing special.
I have already readed tons of book like this one and theres always many things in common.
At least i can say that this book is maybe a little more interesting than any other books with the same settings about fredoom and family.
1.The book is about a boy called Manjit who was born and raised in England but his origin is from India. His whole family are very traditional about how to be a Punjabi. His family are arranging between Manjit and a girl who he has never met. His parents are also very strict about how to behave, they are also very racist. Manjit who didn't inherit his familys opinions is trying to break free from their grasp, but there is one huge problem, he isn't adult yet.
ReplyDelete2.I think he is right because you ain't born to be your parents slave, I belive that you can choose your own future and no one should decide for you. However you can discuss if he did it the right way but I couldn't see other options.
3.I belive it depends on what your parents want, for example if your parents want you to marrige to a girl that you don't love it's impossible to have your pwn freedom. But if your åarents want you to have a good life with a nice wife it's possible to have your own personal freedom and at the same please your parents.
4.I don't think he had any other options because he is minor and his parents have by law the rights to decide for him.
5.I think the book is quite good, it happend stuffs all the time and it also showed me that some people are very traditional. I'm giving the book 3,5 out of 5 stars.
Jacky Lam
manjits life is very depressing, it seems that nobody is taking him seriously. besides lisa and ady not even his family treats him whit respect.
ReplyDeletethe arrange married that the family trying to force on him.
They do exactly the same to him so why should he not do it. they think only of their respect and the family name. not what there son wnts.
yes yes, of course. All children dont sit at home with their parents every weekend and have dinner. As long as you show respect and help them sometimes you can have it both.
No I dont think so. It had finisht about the same. He had made his parents disappointed anyway.
that Manjit marries a person who is not Punjabi is not acceptable in his parents' eyes. So he had not managed to run away from marriage
it was not my kind of book. its sad when people cant do what they want with their lives. such as: dating who you want or spend time with people you want ..
but it is well written. its easy to go along and it happens a lot in it.
marcus
1. In the first chapter of the book Manjit told about his life. He is 13 years old and he does not try to take as much account of his family. He will do anything to get his own will. Manny steal a CD in a store and the store owner calls the police. The police let Manny leave with a warning to don´t do it again. Manny is also pays teacher and homework. It is not okey to do that, come to their mind. Manny´s father want Manny to marry a beautiful indian woman and the family travels to India to find a Indian woman and evne let Manny stay in India while the family goes home.
ReplyDelete2. I think he made the right choice beacuse I believe that one should have to choose yourself. You must have your own freedom.
3. I don´t know exactly. Your parents are teh best you have and they have to be afriad of. So I believe that one should have it´s own freedom self and decide a lot, but having a bit of advice from parents. is never wrong.
4. No, I don´t think that. Manjit did right.
5. I thought the book was good. It was many difficult words. The author used the otherwise good language. The book were also little bit of sad because Manny steal things and that´s not okey. The book was interesting and exciting. We just wanted to read further.
// PHILLEMAN
1. The part when he gives up all he had to gain his freedom back!
ReplyDelete2.Yeah I think that he did the right thing because every individual in the world deserves personal freedom, having someone deciding over you its like having a dictator and thats not democratic and not fair, so no one should really decide over you.
3. Well yeah, it would work if you can make some desicion to and not only your parents. But if your parents does the right desicions that you agree with well... then it could work. So yeah it is possible. But it depends on what sort of stuff your parent want to decide over. If its like your career and school your parents should absolutely take a part of that. But they would never force me to do things I dont want do anyway.
4. No, hes only option from getting out of this thing was to escape. If he would'nt escape he would be stuck there forever and be unhappy, but who know? The marriage could be getting better later on and he still could be happy?
5. The book was good and the content was excellent! The story was good because I didnt knew that these stuff still excisted with forced marriage and stuff like that for someone who doesnt even live in the country where everything will happen. It would be like a normal thing if he lived in India buth the point that he was actually borned and raised in England seemed kind of strange to still force someone to get married. I think it was a very good book for someone who has writen his first book.
Beatrice SPIF 1
1.
ReplyDeleteManjit live in a traditional Indian familiy in England. He patients had planed a wedding for him that he hadn't ask for, to a girl that he didn't know. Manjit meets Lisa, and fal in love wiht her, but his parents is against that. In the mittel of the book Manjit starts stealing, skipping and do other bad things With his uncle's help, he can get away from that bad things and from all the stupid decisions that his parents take.
2.
Yes, I think he is right because his parents wishes are illogical. They make decisions without asking Manjit. So he do right by protesting and cartain hes rights.
3.
Yes, I think that is possible. If children and parents in a family has a good relationship with each other where they can talk about anything without major consequences. However, this was quite impossible for Manjit becauset his parents totally ignoring of all what he said and did.
4.
No, because all he had done had been wrong. The only altenativet had been to make exactly as his parents wanted, but it would have been the wrong decision, because he should follow his own feelings and not others, he knows himself, what is right and wrong for him. His parents can give him advice on the way but it is he who has control over its decisions.
5.
It is a good book with an intresting story. It happened always something new in the book that makes you want to read further. Manjit go through a long journey, most interesting was when he was still in India so that he could not find his passport.
/Amine :)
1.What i think the most important part in the book is when Manny's parents force him to travel to India to get married but he doesn't want to get married. He is skips school, shoplifting and much more just because he doesnt want to get married.
ReplyDelete2.It's the right thing to do. Manny decides about his own future. He doesn't want anyone else to decide about this life. His life, His decisions. His parents just have to accept his decisions.
3.Well, it depends on the family or parents. In Manny's case its not possible. His parents want Manny to get married to an indian girl but Manny doesnt. My parents want me to succeed in school, get good education, to get a good job and so on. They would never force me to do something i don't want to do.
4.No, i think that was the only option he had. So i think what he did was the right thing to do.
5.The book was kind of interesting. I don't like these kind of books but i really liked that part when he got back to England. That part was really good and interesting.
Jessica
Please post your response before tomorrow's class if you haven't already. I will be reading your answers.
ReplyDelete1 The most important part in this book is how Lisa changes from Manjits point of view. Manjit expresses his feelings and starts to act up by getting violent and start to steal, smoke and thats a begining of a bad habit. Readers get to know how hard it is to be in Manjits position and that it is very important to do what you want to do and not what someone else want you to do. This is the main role of this book.
ReplyDelete2 I think he did the right thing by running away even though it was totally against his parents will. If he accepted to do what he parents wanted him to do, in this case get married. If he got married he would regreat it the rest of his life, he would never feel like he has accomplised anything in his life.
3.I don´t think that you can please your parents at the same time IF you are in Manjits position. In Sweden we have freedom and we can still please our parents at the same time. This is a new generation and nowadays many parents kick their children out after they reach the age of 18 and dont care about what their children do then. This is not all parents but many parents does like this, i have a friend i KLÅGERUP and his parents wants him to move now when he is 19.
4 This is a hard question. He gets two options ”Be a ghora or get married”. If he choose to be a ghora then he would never be accepted by his family. I dont think that he made the wrong decision but i dont think that he took the right decision either. So now he is cut off by his family. (exept for Iqbal and his uncle Jagtar.
5 The book was really good, and it shows us
another side that most of us dont know of.
Carl Jahed Gustav XII
One of the most important things in this book is the fact that Manny is getting married away to an unknown woman. This is all because of his old fashioned parents. They come from India and they are very strict when it comes to tradition and Punjabi behaviour. They live in England but still they are more prejudiced than anyone Manny has ever met. They are against white people, black people and everyone who doesn’t comes from India.
ReplyDeleteAt the age o 17 he will be married away, but Manny has been a rebel, so they decide to send him away to India where he will become a “real” Punjabi man. He got expelled from school, had a girlfriend behind their back and kept steeling things with his best friend Ady.
After a while his parents tricks him and leaves him alone in India, with his relatives. He becomes good friends with Inderjit, but still he cannot resist to miss England. One day his uncle Jag arrives. He is seen as the “black sheep” of the family, so he understands Manny’s situation. Uncle Jag is a wealthy business man and loves to travel abroad, so he helps Manny to escape, which is another important thing in the book. But even though he escapes he has to go through the wedding. At his 17th birthday it was also the day of his wedding. In this part Ady helps him to escape by waiting outside the temple, with a car, where his wedding occurred. The book ends with him working at the supermarket with Ady and living with his ex-girlfriends parents.
I think the best way he could of done, was to do a combination with his parents wishes and his own freedom wishes. Everyone has their own rights to freedom, and the rights of choosing who you want to spend your life with. If maybe he could have married a Punjabi girl which he self choose, he could maybe be free. I still think he did the right thing, but he could have at least tried to not loose the contact with his parents.
Yes I do, but it all depends on his parents. If you have very strict and religious parents, it will problem be more difficult than those whose parents are raised in the “western world”. Maybe you can try doing some deals like paying them, or getting straight A:s in all you school subjects. But in Manny’s case it is more difficult because they don’t care if he is doing well in school, only the family’s name matters.
No, I don’t think so. He’s parents are stuck with their decision and there is probably no chance for compromises. I think he is fed up with the beatings so he just wants it all to end. He wants freedom, and this was the only way he could have done because his parents are really thick-headed.
I like the idea and the story but I am not so thrilled about the end. I like the fact that it is something that could really happen and I find it interesting to see how the character behaves and tries to get out of the situation. The author could have chosen a more interesting ending but he chooses to keep him working in the supermarket and not travelling the world with his uncle. But otherwise I do like this book. The language in this book is not difficult so many young and teenagers can read this book.
AJLA SPIF1
1)Manny swims against the stream. That´s probably how you could describe it. He defies his family, and doesn`t let anything get in his way. He kept his eyes on the price (price = freedom, and independence).
ReplyDelete2)He definitely did the right thing! You can`t live your life under somebody else´s demands. He followed his heart, and that´s never a bad thing. To not have any contact with his parents at all was something he had to sacrifice, that´s life... and I think that he thinks it was worth it. His parents´wishes wasn´t reasonable, their whole vision for their sons lives and how life itself should be is a bit whacko, and needs a reformation! Because of that I think he did the right thing.
3)Of course! I´m a living example of that. I do my own thing, and still pleases her. My mother loves me and thinks that I have great ambitions and she is very positive towards what I do on my spare time and in school. All parents aren´t like Manny´s. His parents are very old-fashioned, and into their culture. There´s even a lot of parents that also take their culture and religion serious, but they are still more open minded, and not such rasists. In todays society most parents are like Lisa`s parents: nice, understanding and open minded, so of course you can do both.
4)Well, yes. If he wanted to have it both – freedom and contact with his family, he could have done this: gotten married...on one condition – that he and his wife could live on their own, like on the opposite side of town or something. Than he could have made an arrangement with his wife like; ”let´s go separate ways and live our own lives, but to keep the ”family honour” on top, we can go to all of the gettogethers together”. It would be lite having one public and one ”real” relationship. I don´t no if it´s the best idea, but it´s at least an option.
But if he couldn´t care less for his family, what he did was the best option. Mabye he could have done the runner before the little sermonies, and certainly before the wedding! As he said too: it wasn´t a nice thing to do to the bride and her family whom he didn´t have anything against. So the ideal runner would be just before the three days of celebrating got started.
5)I think it was a very good book, and it was very capturing. It had a really nice message, and great story for that matter. I don´t really know what to say. A very good book which certainly was readable.
Molly Hagman
1.The most important in the novel was that he listened to his parents almost all the time, and always did what they told him to do. But finally he followed his own heart, and found his Love, Lisa. He made his own decisions for the future at the end and I think that it was a good idea.
ReplyDelete// IZABELLE
2. He got enough of everything his dad brainwashed him with. I understand Manjit and I think it was the very right thing for him to do, to choose his personal freedom and make his own choices for the future. He proved for his dad that he wasn’t right in everything he said.
3.It should be equality in the family, the child should listen to the parents, and the parents must listen to and understand the child in many ways too. Children should not acting like some ‘’ bosses’’ but everyone in the family should know the limits. In that cases ( arranged marriages ) I don’t really think that the parents should force their own child in something like that.. It’s just a mad thing. Of course in some families there are a culture and religion which must be following in a good way or something like that, but the parents have to support their own child, especially in this case.
4.He did what he wanted to do, he followed his own heart and made his own decisions, he also leaved his family which is one of the worst things you can do, but in Manny’s situation I really think that anyone would have done the same and he didn’t have so many choices.
5.It was a really good book and I like it very much, you can realize many things after you’ve read the book. One of the good things too is that you can compare the book with the reality.
// IZABELLE
ReplyDeleteHere is the right one!
ReplyDelete1. What I find most important is that even though Mannys life wasn´t easy in any way, he made it. He took the hard step to create his own life, on his conditions. He did what was good for him and no other than him.
2. Yes of course Manny did the right thing. Manny chose his future and freedom insted of his parents dreams for him. Well he would have got a future with his family but then it was going to be on their conditions.
3. Yes I think it´s possible. Because my parents wants my best, want me to preform well in school, get me a good education, want me to meet nice and good people and they want to help me to create a good future for me with my dreams and on my conditions.
4. No I don´t really think so. With a family like his, he couldn´t have done it in an other way. If he had told them they would probably have send him back to India or something like that.
5. I liked the book very much, it´s a good book for be a book you read in school.
It´s very interesting to read about what is happening in the world and how people can perceive a religon in so many diffrent ways.
What I also like alot is that Manny has this fighting spirit to get an education, a wife he has selected and are in love with and of course create his future in his own ways. I think Jagtar is a very good rolemodel for Manny in this process.
Felicia Bruér
1. You can read about Manny's life. How it's to have a traditional family that wants to arrange a marriage for you. The most people, young children, listen to their family when they tell them what to do, even if it's wrong. But in this book you can learn that no one decides over your life, your life is something special and you are going to live it for the rest of your life, not your parents or anyone who tries to decide your future. You need to go your own way and make your own mistakes so you can learn from them. You learn best when you make mistakes, for the next time you'll remember what's right and wrong.
ReplyDelete2. In one way I think he did the right thing but they are still his family, eventually he's going to miss them. But I think what he did was the best for him, how fun is it to be married at the age of 17? And with someone that you don't know. He has other dreams, he wants to study and make his own money and I think it's important to have some goals in your life that you want to reach. And in Mannys case he needed to escape from his family because they didn't let him do the things that he liked and wanted to decide over him and they even beat him up when he didn't want to do things their way.
3. Yes I believe it's possible you can have your freedom and also please your parents. You just need a limit, you have to see it from their perspective. You can't stay out for long or do whatever you want just because it's your "life" or your "freedom". You need to be able to balance everything and sit down and talk with your parent and ALWAYS tell them the truth. If you tell them the truth, they will trust you even more and let you do more things.
4. Given his situation and don't really think he had an other option. He did what he had to do, that was the only way for HIM to escape from the arrange marriage and all the beating. No one in the family ever listen to him or asked him want he wanted to do with his own life.
5. I really liked the book. It's an interesting book which shows you a different perspective of life. A life that lot of people live. A life that we, probably, didn't know was so tough. It's interesting to read about how Manny fights for his freedom and how his family treat him, their own son and brother. It's a good book that a lot of people can relate to and maybe get the same fighting spirit as Manny had. Not only in the case of arranged marriage, but about everything else in life that are worth fighting for.
Kimia Alemtar
SPIF1
Fillii, I removed the double posts.
ReplyDeleteThe novel tells about a Punjabi kid named Manjit (a.k.a. Manny) who was born and raised in England. Manny’s parents were very old fashion and wanted him to get married at the age of 17. Of course Manny was against these thoughts and revolted by skipping classes, smoking, steeling and doing other bad things. The family forced Manny to travel to India to meet the girl his father had chosen to become his wife. They left him alone in India and went back to England. When Manny found out that they’d abandoned him, he planed his trip back to England with the help of uncle Jag. He got a lot of punches of his father but finally agreed to marry the Punjabi girl. But the only reason he agreed to do it was just so he could escape so his family would regret everything that they’d done to him. Eventually his 17th birthday came and it was time for him to get married away. His best friend Ady helped him to escape by waiting at him outside the temple where his wedding occurred.
ReplyDeleteI’m sure he did the right thing because I believe that every person on this earth has the personal freedom to choose their own life. Nobody has the right to force you into serious things that you find wrong. In this case Manny didn’t think that his parents had the right opinion about arranging marriages. He found the way they thought outmoded and too strict.
Yes, I believe so. I think that it all depends on how to compromise. Especially with your parents because you know that they have experienced many things that you’re going through and you know for sure that they want your best. But it depends on, some parents are just way too strict and you may not find any way out (like in the most of Manny’s cases), and some are not, they let you do whatever you want just because they believe in personal freedom too literally. The best thing to do in my opinion is to find a balance between these two opposite way of thinking, so that it benefits your needs and pleases your parents at the same time.
Manny knew from the begining that he didn’t believe in arranged marriages and could not stand getting his life wasted by doing such a thing, but practically he could have chosen to listen to his parents and gotten married. Then he would probably regret it all his life and all the time fantasize how his life would been without the marriage.
Even though I don’t like reading novels, I liked this book. The story gave you an insight of a teenager's (especially with a different ancestry) way of thinking, which I see very important. All the happenings were realistic and you could really put yourself in Manny’s situation and feel the hurt and anger he felt.
Tina Dalaei SPIF
5. I thought the book was very good, to know that stuff like this happends all the time, the readers will be more interested because you can never empethize with Manjits situation. altough i thought that Manjit and Lisa could gotten back togheter.
ReplyDeleteI give the book four stars out of five stars
Morsall Koista
1. This novel is about Manjit, or Manny how he wants to be called. He and his family is orginally from India but they live in Leicester in England. Manny has a best friend Ady and a girlfriend named Lisa. His parents do not like him hanging out with Ady and have a white girlfriend, because they think he should be a real Punjabi and not socialize with persons like Ady and Lisa. So they arrange a marriage to Manny to an Indian girl who he has not even met. He dislikes it and doesn't accept it. Even if his family have sent him to India and he has been there some months, his opinions for the marriage hasn't change. So he decides to escape from India after he realize that his family have left him and when he gets to know his wonderful uncle. So Manny decides to live his own life how he wants it without anyone to interfere.
ReplyDeleteAnd the most important thing is that he was going to marry a girl that he didn't even know. But he knew what he wanted and he fought all the way to win his freedom.
2.I think he did the right thing! Because Manny deserves a better life, where he follows his dreams and doing what he wants. His father says that he is doing that just for him(Manny) and for his best, but actually he doesn't. He does it for his own best, just to not embarrass his "name". If I was Manny I should do exactly the same thing that he did. I could never accept to be treated like Manny.
3. Yes, but it depents on the parents too. Becuse if they aren't like Mannys parents then they want the best for you. That you have a good life and that you are happy because then they are happy too.
4. No I don't think so. Because to escape from his family wishes and be able to do what he wants and have a freedom was the only option. All human beings deserve freedom!
5. This book was great! It made me realize how some kids today can have it and that it isn't easy for them. Some kids aren't like strong as Manny, to fight for their own freedom so it's hard to imagine how it could be for them then.. I myself could never be able to live for my parents' wishes or that they decide to me to who I am going to marry. This novel was also very interesting, and it ends with a happy end which I like because I always thought it would be a sad end.
Sanela Nuhanovic
1. What do i find most interesting? well, the part that really caught my attention in the book was the part where he runs away. I thought that, that was the most exiting plot in the book, the way he planned it all and he got extra cash from his dad who thought that he'd become a better Punjabi man and the fact that Manny just played along with all this and blew it up right in the end by escaping.
ReplyDelete2. Of course! You can't carry on for the rest of your life pleasing people if YOU are not happy. Lets say he DID get married eventually and gave in-to his parents do you think he'd be able to do the other things you do in a marriage relationship, have kids and bring them up? no because he wouldn't even be able to HAVE babies. I rest my case. :)
3.Maybe! But some parents will let you have your freedom and some just won't. For some parents you either play their game or you're not in, like Manny's parents he didn't do what his parents expected of him and for that they've cut him off not wanting anything to do with him anymore.
4.Unfortunately I don't think he would of had any other option except for getting married first and then divorce her or something because what seemed to have caught me was Manny's dad and brother Ranjit kept on repeating the same lines which were ”don't worry Manjit once you're married you're a man and you'll be free like us” so maybe that would've been one option.
5.My overall impression: firstly I'd like to say I absolutely enjoyed reading this book and i shall certainly look into reading more Bali Rai books. The book felt so real, then again it is the author telling a real life story and lots of things I felt so familiar with because when i lived in England i also lived in an Asian are but most of them were Pakistanis and the Black and Indians were a minority and I felt that i could relate to the book in That way and not the arranged marriage way.
Asmäää :)
1.That we find out how he is living, and how other people might be living in india too. Also he meets Lisa and falls in love with her, and at the end he get rid off his marrige and lives at lisa's parents house.
ReplyDelete2. Yes. He is not supposed to be forced to marry somebody he doesnt even know or like. Also his parents don't want him to study because its a waste off time, which it's not.
3. It deepens. In Manjit's situation, you can't since his parents wants to take his freedom from him. But normally you can do what your parents wants, and sometimes it costs abit of ur freedom, but atleast you can do what you want.
4. If he wouldn't stole and smoke, he wouldnt be forced to go to India and he would stayed in England and continue with his studies.
5. I think it's intresting and it might be a real life story since the story didnt end up with him marrying Lisa. It doesnt end with a happy ending (except that he gets rid of his parents).
//Ahmed
1.The important with this novel: Is how it is to understand the other's perspective. Manjit Did not want to get married, but played along all the time. Then he tried to escape from the wedding because he wanted to follow his own dreams.
ReplyDelete2.I think he did the right thing. Because he gotta listen to himself, not all everyone else.You must take your own decision.
3.It depends on what your parents have the demands on you. Some parents requested more than
others so there are certainly ways to be happy yourself and your parents are happy.
4. He could listen to his parents and get married. But then he wouldn't be so happy
5.Think it was an pretty good book but not the best one.The author did a good job while he was writing this book, because he knows how to catch his readers anyways. He make you are in the same situation as he . Makes you wonder if he will make it, what they will do, how will he get out of this will he escape and more.
/ Gustav
3.It depends on what your parents have the demands on you. Some parents requests more than have. But there are certainly ways to be happy with yourself, and your parents would be happy
ReplyDelete1. The storyline is basically that Manjit - just like his older brothers - has a marriage arranged for him and that he hates it. He doesn't want to marry a girl he doesn't know and he has to grow up knowing, that will be his future. Now he has to make the desicion whether to please his parents and stand up for the family name or to follow his own heart and do what he pleases.
ReplyDelete2. I believe it was the right thing to do since his parents obviously didn't understand that he didn't want to live the way they were trying to force him to live.
3. It's hard to tell but I believe that it's mostly up to your parents because you can't do anything about the way you are and if they don't understand that then it's probably not that easy pleasing them, although you could consider their way of life as your freedom but that's not likely.
4. There are probably a few different ways to solve a problem like this but I'm still convinced he did the right thing. The best thing to do is to follow your heart right away and you will probably not regret the outcome.
5. At times it was a bit of a struggle getting through the novel cause it felt like the story wasn't getting anywhere but overall I think it was good. You could really feel what it was like for Manny and it felt like it was real most of the times. The ending is a bit unexpected which in a way makes you a little disappointed but I still think it was good.
Christoffer.