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anusha_reads 's review for:
Study for Obedience
by Sarah Bernstein
BOOK 9: STUDY FOR OBEDIENCE, SARAH BERNSTEIN #BOOKERPRIZE2023
The dictionary definition of OBEDIENCE is compliance with an order, request, or law or submission to another's authority.
This is a small yet powerful narrative of an unnamed lady who obeys her elder brother and constantly works towards keeping him happy. After a broken marriage, this brother calls his sister to be with him at the beck and call of his desire.
She is hated by this whole (nameless) town as there are a series of unfortunate incidents that occur after her arrival. Although the time frame sounds modern,( as she talks about using the internet and watching television, which refers to the current era), the people in this town are very superstitious and narrow-minded.
What makes people hate someone?
Do people fear the unknown, or do cultural differences, beliefs etc. create barriers?
She cries over a storm-uprooted willow, tends to the kitchen garden with the utmost care, observes the melting ice in the springtime and longs to be the ice, appreciating it for being multifaceted. The author describes her solitude so strongly, that it stirs the heart while reading.
Her world was one of introspection, exploring the boundless depths of her mind, questioning every move she made, doubting every action of hers.
The people in this town are prejudiced towards this lady who doesn't know their language and instead of helping her constantly blame her for all the mishaps that occur in the town. One can only sympathise with her subservient attitude as she believes that she has to be good in this terrible world.
Can upbringing brainwash a person to her core? Can someone be so very influential as to make her believe that obedience is the core value of life?
The whole book made me feel very uncomfortable as it is a very vivid portrayal of the life of this unnamed female protagonist in this unwelcoming town. I suppose that was the objective of the author?!
I found this plotless, descriptive narrative very difficult to read. It has long sentences with very few paragraph breaks. I found the whole narrative very sad though it's narrated without any emotions.
"I CONTINUED TO SPEND THE LONG YEARS SINCE CHILDHOOD CULTIVATING SOLITUDE, PURSUING SILENCE TO ITS EVER-RECEDING HORIZON, A PURSUIT THAT DEMANDED A PARTICULAR QUALITY OF ATTENTION, A SELF-FORGETFULNESS ON MY PART THAT WOULD ENABLE ME TO BRING TO BEAR THE MOST PAINSTAKING, THE MOST CAREFUL CONSIDERATION TO THE OTHER, TO TREAT THE OTHER AS THE WORTHIEST OBJECT OF CONTEMPLATION. IN THIS PROCESS, I WOULD BECOME REDUCED, DIMINISHED, ULTIMATELY I WOULD BECOME CLARIFIED, EVEN CEASE TO EXIST. I WOULD BE GOOD. I WOULD BE ALL THAT HAD EVER BEEN ASKED OF ME."
The dictionary definition of OBEDIENCE is compliance with an order, request, or law or submission to another's authority.
This is a small yet powerful narrative of an unnamed lady who obeys her elder brother and constantly works towards keeping him happy. After a broken marriage, this brother calls his sister to be with him at the beck and call of his desire.
She is hated by this whole (nameless) town as there are a series of unfortunate incidents that occur after her arrival. Although the time frame sounds modern,( as she talks about using the internet and watching television, which refers to the current era), the people in this town are very superstitious and narrow-minded.
What makes people hate someone?
Do people fear the unknown, or do cultural differences, beliefs etc. create barriers?
She cries over a storm-uprooted willow, tends to the kitchen garden with the utmost care, observes the melting ice in the springtime and longs to be the ice, appreciating it for being multifaceted. The author describes her solitude so strongly, that it stirs the heart while reading.
Her world was one of introspection, exploring the boundless depths of her mind, questioning every move she made, doubting every action of hers.
The people in this town are prejudiced towards this lady who doesn't know their language and instead of helping her constantly blame her for all the mishaps that occur in the town. One can only sympathise with her subservient attitude as she believes that she has to be good in this terrible world.
Can upbringing brainwash a person to her core? Can someone be so very influential as to make her believe that obedience is the core value of life?
The whole book made me feel very uncomfortable as it is a very vivid portrayal of the life of this unnamed female protagonist in this unwelcoming town. I suppose that was the objective of the author?!
I found this plotless, descriptive narrative very difficult to read. It has long sentences with very few paragraph breaks. I found the whole narrative very sad though it's narrated without any emotions.
"I CONTINUED TO SPEND THE LONG YEARS SINCE CHILDHOOD CULTIVATING SOLITUDE, PURSUING SILENCE TO ITS EVER-RECEDING HORIZON, A PURSUIT THAT DEMANDED A PARTICULAR QUALITY OF ATTENTION, A SELF-FORGETFULNESS ON MY PART THAT WOULD ENABLE ME TO BRING TO BEAR THE MOST PAINSTAKING, THE MOST CAREFUL CONSIDERATION TO THE OTHER, TO TREAT THE OTHER AS THE WORTHIEST OBJECT OF CONTEMPLATION. IN THIS PROCESS, I WOULD BECOME REDUCED, DIMINISHED, ULTIMATELY I WOULD BECOME CLARIFIED, EVEN CEASE TO EXIST. I WOULD BE GOOD. I WOULD BE ALL THAT HAD EVER BEEN ASKED OF ME."