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