Reflection on Village by the Sea

The story "Village by the Sea" by Anita Desai tells us of the problems faced in India through the point of view of two characters, Hari and Lila. The book is written in a way that lets us experience the Indian culture and their way of life, through the terms used in the story and the lives of the characters. I feel that the book is unique in a way, as it alternates between the points of view of Hari and Lila. It certainly has an effect on the reader, especially when Hari goes to the city of Bombay and Lila is in the village of Thul. By using two points of view of two different characters in two totally opposite places, the writer lets us get a better idea of the similarities and differences between city and village life.
One of the problems faced by mainly the villagers in India, is industrialisation. As the country progresses into a modern era, more factories will be built, so as to generate more income and jobs. However, even though factories have a positive impact on the economy, they will greatly affect the environment around them. Imagine if the government decides to build some factories on a piece of fertile, agricultural land, and the factories will contaminate the area and make it unfit for growing crops. How will the people who make a living there feel? That was what happened to the villagers of Thul. The government took their land without officially buying it, and wasted their rich land. Firstly, the villagers who depend on agriculture for a living will have no source of income. Besides wasting the rich land, the fertiliser factories will also pollute the air and the sea around it. As we all know, factories will release harmful pollutants into the air. Waste and chemicals will also be dumped into water bodies around them. Not only does this make the air unhealthy to breathe in, it will also poison the marine creatures in the sea. Think of what will happen when someone just happens to eat the poisoned fish! Furthermore, Thul is a fishing village. How can the fishermen there earn more income if they have to travel so far out to fish? Their families will certainly be affected. Unlike the people living in the city, the lives of the villagers greatly depend on the environment around them. As a result, it is unwise of the government to choose such a location to build fertiliser factories.
Another issue faced by India is urbanisation. I would not say that it is a problem, but there are definitely pros and cons to urbanisation. The advantages are that the country will be more economically competitive compared to other not so developed countries. It will also have more advanced technology and will be more capable in managing their resources. In addition, when the country is very developed, they will be very effective in defending themselves. When more people live in cities or high-rised apartments, there will be more space for other development. More investors will want to invest in the country and more tourists will want to go to the country, because of these factors. What about the cons of urbanisation? The air quality of the area will certainly be affected, because of the smoke from the exhaust of vehicles and the pollutants from the factories. This may in turn affect the health of the people living in the cities. The environment of the country may also be affected by the country's development.
At the start of the story, the readers are given the impression that Hari and Lila's family is a dysfunctional family, with a drunkard for a father and a critically ill mother. As a result, Hari and Lila have to take on the responsibilities of adults at a young age, by supporting the family and taking care of their two younger sisters. In my opinion, their father was a very irresponsible man, and failed to be a good father to the children. When their mother was ill, instead of saving up to pay for her medical bills, he went out and squandered money on toddy, which was a form of alcohol. Hari fears his father, actually, he dreads him, to the point where he once hoped that he would die. Lila is frightened of him whenever he is at home. It is evident that the children were not close to their father. However, as Hari goes to Bombay, things start to take a turn for the better. Hari gets the help of some benefactors and manages to earn some money and even picks up watchmending skills. Lila supports the family by working for the de Silvas, who were kind enough to help her send her mother to the hospital. At the end of the story, I felt that Hari and Lila's father was not actually a bad man. He showed concern for his wife when she was in hospital and was willing to turn over a new leaf. When Hari is reunited with his family in Thul, he realises that many things are going to change in the village. The factories are going to be built and new roads made. I wonder what will happen to Thul in a few decades?