I found Racists by Kunal Basu first at a bookshop in Bangalore and was immediately intrigued by the subject. However, given my have-many-books-but-not-read-yet-guilt, I ordered it years later at Stack your Rack (new online books store in India).
The plot of Racists is set up in 1870s and revolves around two scientists, who have different ideas regarding racial differences and the fundamental reason behind these differences, i.e. the alleged superiority of the white over the black. Samuel Bates, the English scientist, believes that all races originate to Adam, and it is only the craniological differences (skull shape and size) that makes white superior to black. Jean-Louis Belavoix, the French scientist, believes that these races are different, and given equal opportunity to grow, they will grow equals. Bates is the real laboratory scientist type, stressing on measurements. Belavoix is the observer type.
To resolve the differences for good, they decide on an experiment – have a black boy and white girl brought up on an island far from civilization, let them grow naturally in the natural environs of the island without any instruction, education and even speech, monitor regularly by visits and specific tests, and make a decision at the end of 12 years, about time when the children reach puberty. Bates is confident that the white girl will emerge the winner due to bigger skull size and finer bone angles, whereas Belavoix predicts doom that because they will grow equals, one will end up killing the other.
To facilitate the experiment, they have a mute nurse, Norah, to take care of minimum physical needs of the children at the island, and Bates’ assistant, Nicholas Quarterly, to make arrangements and take records.
Isn’t it intriguing and very interesting? I thought it was, primarily supposing that Belavoix’s idea of equality will win in the end and I was all fascinated to find out the proceedings towards this conclusion.
I wouldn’t tell much about the story, except that the book isn’t all about the ‘competition’ of the races. There is rivalry of the scientists, which itself speaks of the differences Europeans had, and still have despite the European Union and what not. The rivalry is big enough to consider the children as mere experimental subjects and have no compassion for their present of future. Then there are the hardworking poor – Norah and Quarterly, who are more humane and sensible in their outlook towards the whole experiment. There are the financiers, who are all about results, fast delivery and their own racial prejudices. And last but not the least, the children themselves, fully natural and ‘savage’ in their own outlook and actions.
The best part of the novel is the growth of the children and their relationships with each other, with the natural environment and mute visitors around them. Both grow naturally in different capacities, which has to do with sexual and racial differences. Their plays with the nature – birds, rain, sea, rocks, earthworms etc. is full of life and their instruction-less-savage-yet-human-in-many-ways-nature sounds very realistic for the circumstances.
There are many unexpected turns (the best one a very historical event that shoots the experiment tangentially towards the end) and after some thinking, I found that focusing the whole story on the experiments itself wouldn’t have been as much vivid and revealing as the side plots and the turns. The end is quite dramatic, cruel and savage – something on the lines of Chandni Bar (and I think I have said too much).
Something about the author – Kunal Basu’s writing is very rich. He makes me proud because the only other Indian author of English novels that I have read is Chetan Bhagat and, notwithstanding his popularity, he wouldn’t pass in Kunal Basu’s English class. Apart from his fascinating execution of the language, he also has a good hold over history, landscape and botany. I wouldn’t consider it exaggerating to compare him with the likes of J.R.R. Tolkien (undoubtedly, the sales of Racists pale in comparison to The Lord of The Rings). Reading about him in Wikipedia, I wasn’t surprised to find that he was born to parents who were ranked members of the then Communist Party and exposed to culturally rich and diverse visitors.
Overall, it is a slightly heavy novel, and my kinds need to keep a dictionary at hand to appreciate some parts. That apart, it is a beautiful piece of literature, drama and history, and one of my best reads ever (after Gone with the Wind and The Lord of the Rings).
Looking forward to:
- The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
- The Miniaturist (Kunal Basu)
- Piccadilly Jim (P.G. Wodehouse)
- The Fourth Protocol (Frederick Forsyth)
