Summary

Hungry ghost takes place in 1940 Trindad . In This period in Trinidad there was a post colonial and this was crucial for the development of national identity as the country moved towards independence. Exploring how characters navigate their identities against the backdrop of colonialism and emerging. Trinidad is a small island very close to South America . The two characters I would like to talk about is Hans and Krishna because these are two people from different generations that have different understanding of colonialism. People lived in the Barracks and as the story goes on the Barracks start to feel like a place to segregate everything in general so the character does not feel like home.

Hans and his wife, Shweta, and his son Krishna live in "the barrack", a dilapidated, leaking and cramped building they share with several other families. Shweta in particular dreams of escaping, urging Hans to forge ahead with attempts to secure a lot in nearby Bell village. Hans is a character that seeks respect in his community, there is one case with Hans trying to buy a plot from Harold and because he is Hindu and Harold is Christian he raised the price. 'He probably call a higher price for you, you being a Hindu and all. Harold Vaughan is a staunch Christian. He think Hinduism is a bunch of cow god, monkey god devil worship.' I would like to believe that colonialism influenced the religion of Hinduism to be inferior now in Trinidad. Another example is when Hans and Shweta’s marriage is not officially recongnised by the state because it was not consecrated in a Christian church. This kinda shows how Hindu has become inferior due to the Takeover brought Christianity as a superior religion.

Krishna is the second generation of victims of colonialism; he realizes his Father takes all the insults from people every time he goes to the store and he is doesn't like that. He Realizes what his father said about him under his breath “bastard child,” when he has return to the barracks as this reveals what he thinks his son’s place is in the dominant social order. Krishna is expected to play the part of a civilized Christian, as distinct from his Hindu family. This is what Toxic male masculinity happens plays in too but at the same time the segregation and him and his father are victims to colonial influences one way or another.

Out of the two Hans is my favorite character even though he may not be likable to some. I think Han’s Past of his mother committing suicide and she in fact became a hunger ghost to him influenced how he should raise and provide for the family. His son Krishna dies and I was shocked, but it’s poetic because dying would be a mercy, now he is haunted metaphorically from the ghost of Hema and now Krishna.

Fun fact: I read in an Article that Kevin Hosien favorite character in literature is Judge Holden from Blood Meridian, and I was shocked because I wonder if this influenced Han’s character even just a little.