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A Marxist Reading of Class and Materialism in Ruskin Bond’s The Blue Umbrella – Sarita

 


A MARXIST READING OF CLASS AND MATERIALISM IN RUSKIN BOND’S THE BLUE UMBRELLA

Sarita

Postgraduate in English

University of Delhi

Delhi, India

 

Abstract:

Ruskin Bond’s The Blue Umbrella offers a seemingly simple narrative of rural life, centered around a young girl and her attachment to a beautiful umbrella. However, a deeper examination through the lens of Marxist theory reveals significant themes of class struggle, materialism, and economic inequality. This paper applies the concepts of Marxist theorists such as Karl Marx and Louis Althusser to analyze the power dynamics, class tensions, and ideological constructs within the text. Through the characters of Binya and Ram Bharosa, the story reflects the material conditions of society, the fetishization of commodities, and the impact of class consciousness on human behavior.

Keywords: Ruskin Bond, The Blue Umbrella, Marxist theory, Class struggle, Materialism, Ideology, Class consciousness

Ruskin Bond is celebrated for his ability to craft simple yet profound stories that often depict the lives of ordinary people in rural India. The Blue Umbrella (1980) is no exception, providing readers with an engaging narrative centered around a young girl, Binya, and her attachment to a blue umbrella that becomes a source of conflict in her village. While the story is often viewed as a tale of innocence, generosity, and redemption, it also offers an implicit critique of materialism and class disparities, themes that resonate with the principles of Marxist theory.

In this paper, I will explore The Blue Umbrella through the Marxist framework, focusing on how economic inequalities, commodity fetishism, and class consciousness shape the characters' motivations and actions. By examining the text through the works of Karl Marx, particularly his theories on class struggle and commodity fetishism, and Louis Althusser’s ideas on ideology, I aim to demonstrate how the story subtly critiques the capitalist structures that govern both material and social relationships.

Marxist literary theory is grounded in the belief that literature reflects the material conditions and social relations of its time, particularly focusing on the struggles between the bourgeoisie (the capitalist class) and the proletariat (the working class). In his seminal work, Das Kapital (1867), Karl Marx emphasizes the concept of commodity fetishism, where material goods take on a value beyond their practical use, acquiring a social and symbolic significance in capitalist societies (Marx 127). This idea is particularly relevant to The Blue Umbrella, where the umbrella becomes more than a simple object; it represents status, power, and desire.

Louis Althusser, a key Marxist theorist, further expanded on Marx’s ideas by introducing the concept of ideological state apparatuses in his essay Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses (1970). Althusser argues that capitalist societies maintain control not just through force but through ideology, which influences individuals to accept their social roles and the existing power structures (Althusser 129).. Ideology is internalized through institutions such as family, education, and culture, and this process is evident in the characters of The Blue Umbrella, particularly in their acceptance of class hierarchies and material inequality.

In The Blue Umbrella, the stark economic disparity between Binya, a poor village girl, and Ram Bharosa, a wealthy shopkeeper, forms the foundation of the story’s conflict. While the narrative presents these characters as simple village dwellers, their relationship can be seen as a microcosm of the class struggle that Marx describes in his theory of historical materialism.

Binya, the story’s protagonist, belongs to the working class, or the proletariat in Marxist terms. Her family’s livelihood depends on subsistence farming, and their material possessions are limited. When she acquires the blue umbrella, a luxury item in the context of her village, the umbrella becomes a symbol of her temporary elevation in status. As the text states, “It was a beautiful umbrella, a bright blue umbrella that could be seen from afar. And Binya loved it with all her heart (Bond 3).” Marxist theory posits that in a capitalist system, the working class is alienated from the means of production and must rely on wages or small trades to survive. Binya’s attachment to the umbrella reflects the emotional and social value that working-class individuals often place on material goods, which offer a sense of dignity and identity otherwise denied to them by their economic conditions.

As Dr. S.N. Kombe and Dr. A.A. Bhise observes, “Ruskin Bond’s craftsmanship lies in the handling of malice; he touches evil in such a way that readers remain unaware that they are being exposed to it (Bhise and Kombe 43).” This remark captures Bond’s subtle approach to portraying negative qualities like envy and materialism in characters such as Ram Bharosa. In his envy, Ram’s malice unfolds naturally, shaping him as a figure consumed by the desire to possess the umbrella, a status symbol he feels entitled to own.

The umbrella, therefore, can be interpreted as a fetishized commodity, in line with Marx’s theory of commodity fetishism. While the umbrella has practical use, it gains a heightened symbolic value in the village, representing beauty, wealth, and social capital. For Binya, owning the umbrella is not merely about its utility but about the sense of pride and admiration it evokes from others, reflecting the way in which material objects can shape individual identity and social standing in capitalist societies.

Ram Bharosa, the wealthy shopkeeper, represents the bourgeoisie, or capitalist class, in the story. Despite owning a shop and having more resources than most villagers, Ram becomes envious of Binya’s umbrella and is consumed by the desire to possess it. This is evident in the line, “Ram Bharosa had always been a miserly man, but now he was obsessed. He had to have the blue umbrella, no matter what it took.(Bond 16)” Marxist theory emphasizes how the bourgeoisie constantly seeks to expand their wealth and power, even at the expense of the working class. Ram’s obsession with the umbrella reflects this greed, as he views the umbrella as a symbol of status that should belong to him, not a poor girl.

According to Louis Althusser’s theory of ideological apparatuses, individuals are influenced by societal ideologies that justify and perpetuate existing class hierarchies. Ram Bharosa, despite being a member of the village elite, is dissatisfied with his material wealth and yearns for more, illustrating the capitalist drive for continuous accumulation. His willingness to deceive and manipulate others to obtain the umbrella further reflects the exploitative nature of capitalism, where those in power use their influence to control and dominate the working class.

Dr. N. Haripriyalakshmi and Dr. A. Selvalakshmi discuss desire as the root of both joy and suffering, noting, “Desire is the only root cause for the creation of life on earth which results in providing pleasure as well as pain depending upon people’s desired actions (Haripriyalakshmi and Selvalakshmi 89).” Binya’s relationship to the umbrella represents this concept; her desire initially brings her joy and status in the village, but ultimately leads her to let go of it, symbolizing a higher moral resolve.

Karl Marx’s concept of commodity fetishism plays a central role in The Blue Umbrella. The villagers' admiration of the umbrella and Ram’s obsession with acquiring it illustrate how commodities can become objects of desire and status. “The umbrella was something to be envied and admired. Everyone in the village wished they could have it (Bond 22).” This line exemplifies the umbrella’s role as a status symbol, reflecting Marx's idea that material goods often symbolize beauty, power, and exclusivity in capitalist societies.

Another important Marxist concept in this context is false consciousness, where the working class fails to recognize their exploitation within the capitalist system. Binya’s attachment to the umbrella and her eventual decision to give it away can be seen as a reflection of this concept. Despite her emotional connection to the umbrella, Binya ultimately relinquishes it to Ram, suggesting that she accepts her subordinate position in the social hierarchy. In Althusser’s terms, the ideological structures of the village have instilled in Binya the belief that generosity and forgiveness are virtues, even when they result in her losing the one object that brought her pride and status. “Here, take it,” said Binya, handing him the umbrella. “I don’t need it anymore(Bond 29).” Binya’s act of generosity in giving away the umbrella reflects the inherent goodness and innocence associated with the working class, contrasting with Ram's greed, while also signaling a return to the existing class order.

Ram Bharosa’s eventual remorse also reveals the influence of capitalist ideology on personal relationships. As he reflects, “Ram Bharosa felt small and ashamed of himself. The umbrella had become more important to him than the people around him(Bond 31).” This realization underscores the alienating effects of material desire, revealing how the pursuit of status and possession can overshadow human connection, as critiqued in Marxist thought.

Bond’s vivid portrayal of nature, highlighted by Mamta Singh, further enhances the story’s grounding in rural simplicity: “Bond has portrayed the vivid description of nature in the novella The Blue Umbrella. He has given the description of cherry trees, palm trees, oak trees, and hills (Singh 23).” This natural setting emphasizes the contrast between human desires and nature’s inherent simplicity, underscoring the story's thematic tension between materialism and natural innocence.

Ruskin Bond’s The Blue Umbrella offers a rich site for Marxist analysis, with its exploration of class, materialism, and social power dynamics. Through the characters of Binya and Ram Bharosa, the story reflects the tensions between the proletariat and bourgeoisie, illustrating how material goods are fetishized and how capitalist ideology influences human behavior. Using the frameworks of Karl Marx and Louis Althusser, this paper demonstrates how Bond’s seemingly simple story serves as a critique of the capitalist system, revealing the ways in which class and materialism shape social relations and individual identities. 

 

Works Cited

 

Althusser, Louis. “Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses.” Lenin and Philosophy and Other Essays, translated by Ben Brewster, Monthly Review Press, 1971, pp. 127–186.

Bhise, A. A., and S. N. Kombe. "Ruskin Bond's Thematic Subtleties: Malice and Morality." Journal of English Studies, vol. 3, no. 4, 2020, pp. 42–56.

Bond, Ruskin. The Blue Umbrella. Puffin Books, 1980.

Haripriyalakshmi, N., and A. Selvalakshmi. "Exploring Desire and the Human Condition in Ruskin Bond’s Works." International Journal of English and Literature, vol. 5, no. 1, 2022, pp. 87–93.

Marx, Karl. Das Kapital: A Critique of Political Economy. Translated by Ben Fowkes, Penguin Books, 1976.

Singh, Mamta. "Nature and Simplicity in Ruskin Bond's Writings." Asian Journal of English Literature, vol. 8, no. 2, 2021, pp. 22–34.