Subhasish Ray

It’s all about the eternal struggle of men between life and livelihood. Our quest for sublime joy in the nature is so often overtaken by the mundane pursuit of worldly comforts. Frost so lucidly presented before us the internal conflicts.

That ideals are sacrificed at the altar of luxury and comfort by the majority and particularly by the demagogues have been satirically portrayed by Orwell. The carrot of sham democracy is dangled before the mass and in the end one tyrannical leader is replaced with another.

Katherine Mansfield raises a storm over “A cup of tea” albeit subtly by portraying Rosemary- a wealthy jealous woman’s insincere attempt at social service to further her standing in social circles. Only a proclamation of beauty of Miss Smith by Philip makes his wife scurrying for safety of herself. All her pretensions are exposed. A wealthy poor lady indeed!

It's a rebellion by the author against the Americans' pseudo superiority in action and thought. Jovita is not possessive of her children's fathers and Mexican men do not feel shy of overtly appreciating the beauty of Muriel. Len is shackled and Jeff yearns to explore the Aztecs. But both are handicapped for they brought their women-- physically or mentally.