The Door I Shut Behind Me. Uma Parameswaran

The door I shut behind me is a short story by Uma Parameswaran. The title of the short story reminds the Indian tradition of a bride leaving her parents’ home forever after marriage. The story explains an Indian leaving his country to become a possible immigrant in Canada. The simile is very apt as both the situation involves crossing over to a new life; this crossing over involves fear and uncertainty coupled with hope and desire.

The story opens with Chander, the protagonist, flying to Canada on a two year research associate ship, at an annual salary of $ 8500. Agarwal, the crude and loud fellow passenger who doesn’t have an immigrant visa feels envious of Chander. Agarwal appears to be a perfect portrait of an ugly person. The writer has analyzed the mindset of an average Indian who goes abroad, his obsession with money and savings as well as his dreams of luxury and comfort.

Agarwal criticize everything western. He says “our toilet habits are much cleaner”. For him the westerners are far behind in their appreciation of arts. The writer portraits the class of Indians, who criticizes the west and its culture, yet wants to stay abroad, earn money and lead a life of comfort and luxury.

Chander finds that Agarwal is nostalgic for his country and wanted to be with his own people and speak his own language. They visits Mundra’s house. Agarwal greeted every one with warm enthusiasm, but Chander was unable to do so. The people gathered were from different parts of India, but the language they spoke was English. They were all proud of speaking English.

They question of identity, whether they are Indians or Canadians, entangled them. They had not changed their food habits, their costumes. They wanted to go back, but like the mythological king Trihishanku, they stood suspended between two worlds, unable to enter either.

The story says when we leave our country we shut many doors behind us though we are not aware of it at the time. Chander replies “There are many doors ahead of us”. The story thus ends on a note of hope for the future. Uma Parameswaran endorses a positive approach; if people decide s to adopt another country to live in; they must not look back but look forward with hope.