Coming to America

In Bharati Mukherjee’s novel Jasmine, the main character Jyoti describes her first day in America as a moment of true death.  “It was a very simple, very clear perception, a moment of truth, the kind of understanding that I have heard comes at the moment of death” (116).   (109-121) The first day Jyoti was in America, she spend her day in a cheap motel, deep into pine and Sabal palm county, off narrow roads with scooped-out ditches.  Jyoti had caught a ride with a man that she refereed to as “half-face.”  He took her to the motel, where he was going to let her rest, but he had more then resting in mind for the two of them.  Half –Face turned to Jyoti and asked her, “What are you going to do for me?”  Jyoti extended her hand to thank him, but he nearly ripped her hand off, and pulling her into the room.  His leg flew waist high in a show-offy kick and the door thumped closed.  He grabbed her and pulled her against him and started kissing her.  Half-Face got very violent with Jyoti, as he forced himself on her, as he began rapping her.  Jyoti stated, “For the first time in my life I understood what evil was about. It was about not being human.  Half-Face was from an underworld of evil.  It was a simple, very clean perception, a moment of a truth, the kind of understanding that I have heard comes at the moment of death” (116). However, Jyoti did get her revenge for what Half-Face did to her, she murdered him in cold blood, slaughtered him.  “I buttoned up the jacket and sat by the fire.  With the first streaks of dawn, my first full America day, I walked out the front drive of the motel to the highway and began my journey, traveling light’ (121). 

Jyoti was unfamiliar with the area, not knowing anyone in America. She recalls the memories of her old life, and is able to apply them in dealing with her modern day challenges. When she encounters a struggle, she reminisces about past struggles and this give her strength to go on.  As Jyoti was entering the motel that Half-Face was taking her too, she refers to herself saying the cheap hotel that had plywood over its windows, didn’t matter much to her.  She had grown up sleeping with four sisters to a bamboo mat on a cold adobe floor. She says to herself, why shouldn’t I have been taken in by the splendors of an abandoned motel?  Every situation that seems hard or scary for her, she thinks of a time in her life that can help her overcome her fears.  In addition, Jyoti did know that America was the place for her, she had her goals set for the rest of her life.  She wasn’t going to let this be a negative step in her life, she would just let it revitalize her. 

Just like American’s everyday, they go to different countries, either because of the vacation, school, work, or the Peace Corp.  I wonder if they have either been put into situation such as Jyotis when they enter unfamiliar places, where they don’t speak the language or do not understand the culture of the country. Because, Jyoti came to America from India, she was seen as an outsider.  It is much easier to take advantage of someone who has never been to the country.  Sometimes situations like Jyoti’s have a negative outcome such as death for the victim.  Jyoti was a lucky woman, because she was able to get away and still get revenge for what had happened to her.   Most woman are not as lucky as Jyoti.