Annotated List of Works Cited
Hai-Jew, Shalin. "Kirchner Aerates and Swishes on Darjeeling: A Q & A with Bharti Kirchner." International Examiner, sec. 29: 22. Ethnic NewsWatch. 2002. Web. 8 Mar. 2011
This source is an interview with the author, Bharti Kirchner, about the book Darjeeling and about her creative writing process, and it also includes a discussion of the characters in her book and how elements of the plot are eventually interwoven together. In this interview, Bharti has some comments about certain symbols in the book, especially those regarding food- tea, according to Kirchner, is the unifying element of the whole story and the relationships between characters. Kirchner also discusses during extensive research in Darjeeling, New York, and Victoria and researching the mechanics of the tea industry in order to paint an accurate picture of how the tea industry is run. Considering this to have statements directly from the author itself, It can be considered a trustworthy resource for further examination of the book, and would even consider it a primary source. It helped bridge the gap between the reader and the author by revealing what Kirchner may have been thinking about the book in comparison to what the reader perceives when reading the book.
Sengupta, Jayanta. "Nation on a Platter: The Culture and Politics of Food and Cuisine in Colonial
Bengal." Modern Asian Studies 44.1 (2010): 81. ProQuest. Web. 8 Mar. 2011.
This paper explores the history of Bengali cuisine and how it has impacted the political and cultural aspects of Bengali life. The paper also explains the symbolic meaning of Bengali food and its connection to nationalism, and explores machines, industrial developments, and inventions that have made Bengali cuisine what it is today. More importantly, it discusses the gender roles involved in cooking the food, and the conflicts between the British and Indian gastronomic lifestyles that shaped not only the conflict but the synthesis of Bengali culture today. Bengali food and culture is referenced to numerous times throughout the book, and the role of women is also a very important theme in Kirchner’s book—to see the two themes intertwined together showed even more connections between women, food, and even relationships. The discussion of British influences in Bengali cuisine (ex. non vegetarianism vs. vegetarianism) also brought into the mind the struggle that the characters have with cultural identity, especially those who immigrate to America, and are faced with a conflict of loyalty to their home country or to their new country. Numerous footnotes and research indicate that the paper was very thorough and was most likely used for academic purposes.
Singh, By A. "Culture & Thought -- Personal Journey: A Tarnished Tea Service --- Forget the
Sugar, Life on the Plantation is all Lumps." The Wall Street Journal Asia: P.7. ProQuest Newsstand. 2000. Web. 11 Mar. 2011.
This article discusses a man’s experience in the tea industry and his struggles with tea plantation owners (including one refused to let him enter by wiring his home), and explores the rights of workers and stereotypes of tea plantations, also including some new insights on how the tea plantations have changed. The less ethical of the plantation owners, according to the author, use economic means to manipulate the workers, often into starvation or poverty in comparison to physical violence by means of whips. In the book, Pranab, the main male character, is deeply concerned about workers’ rights in tea plantations and attempts to create a rebellion in order to give them more benefits—not to mention, that very tea plantation is owned by the father of both his fiancée and secret lover. Reading this article helped with the understanding of the travails of tea workers and how their managers do not always treat them with the respect that they deserve, and gave some sympathy for Pranab’s cause. The article seems to be reliable as it comes from the well known and well respected Wall Street Journal and speaks from the real life experiences of the author.
Umrigar, Thrity. "A Flavorful but Flawed Infusion: [Third Edition]." Boston Globe: D.4. ProQuest.
2002. Web. 8 Mar. 2011
This Boston Globe review tries to take an objective look at the quality of Kirchner’s book, pointing out that there are flaws in the how realistically the characters are depicted and whether their actions can be sympathized or ridicule—the critic wonders how Aloka is truly able to put up with Pranab’s self loathing and moping during the book. Nonetheless, the review praises the development of the female characters, despite the shortcomings of the male character development, despite considering all the characters stereotypes that only exist to service the plot. Reading the review gave me a more objective viewpoint about the book, and makes many strong points about the weaknesses of the novel that would have otherwise gone unnoticed, especially in regards to the believability and the rushedness of some aspects of the plot. The source of the article indicates that it was from a professional source, and its in-depth analysis on the style and narrative ability of the author without being overly insulting shows a more level-headed criticism of the book that does not show a blatant bias, meaning that this source can be trusted.
