Mr. Kamble
Katherine Boo’s Behind the Beautiful Forevers details the life and journey of a young garbage collector, Abdul Husain, and his family and friends who live in a slum in India. Because Abdul and his family are Muslims living in a primarily Hindu slum, they stay close with the other Muslims. Fatima, or One Leg, is another Muslim living in Annawadi, who happens to be neighbors with the Husains’. Throughout the story Abdul and his family contemplate leaving Annawadi and purchasing land of their own. Instead, they decide to use their savings to make improvements to their current home in Annawadi. During the renovation, Abdul’s mother and Fatima get into a verbal argument. After Fatima returns home she lights herself on fire and to the police, claims that Abdul, his father Karam, and his oldest sister, Kehkashan did it. Abdul, his sister, and his father are jailed, but how the family copes with the situation is revealed later in the book.
Annawadi, the Indian slum where Abdul lives, is actually land owned by the Mumbai airport. The slum is surrounded by luxury hotels which the people of Annawadi can only dream of being able to afford such lavish accommodations. Mr. Kamble, a former sanitation worker, is now unemployed due to his health condition and is living in Annawadi. Mr. Kamble was laid off because of his bad heart. His employers will only allow him to return to work if he receives a new heart valve and a doctor’s clearance. Mr. Kamble was unable to get the necessary operation, leaving him in search for another form of income.
Although he only makes a brief appearance in the book, the rise and fall of Mr. Kamble is described in detail. It is told how he was given a job, a surname, and a bride from a city government worker who pitied him. Mr. Kamble was successful in all aspects of his life: job, family, and home, but it all came to an abrupt end when he was fired from his job because of his cardiovascular disease. It may seem as though Mr. Kamble went from one of Annawadi’s great success stories to a story with a common tragic ending, this is not the situation. Mr. Kamble was able to stay resilient and determined. Even when the hospital told him he needed fifty thousand rupees for the surgery so he could return to work, he never backed down. He proceeded to ask for donations for his heart valve surgery from everyone. He convinced the Corporator and an executive from the paint factory to donate thirteen hundred rupees. Consistent with Mr. Kamble’s physical decline, his heart valve fund comes up well short of its mark. Mr. Kamble however, is not deterred and remains determined to find a way to come up with the money needed for his operation. He goes to Asha with a brilliant plan to ask for a government loan for his fake small business, but Asha turns him down. Throughout Mr. Kamble’s journey he stays stubbornly determined and motivated to return to his previous job. His attitude towards remaining a productive member of Annawadi’s society never wavers as he is continually trying to get the money needed for his operation.
Resilience, motivation, and determination are the keys to keeping one’s hopes up and fighting to remain a productive member of society. These qualities fueled Mr. Kamble’s resolve even when parts of his life were unfairly taken away. Katherine Boo conveys the message that one must stay focused on a worthwhile goal to avoid becoming a forgotten or insignificant member of society. Mr. Kamble centers his attention on obtaining enough money for his medical procedure so he can ultimately get his job back. When part of someone’s life falls apart their surroundings and environment will lead them down one of two paths: the road to one’s former self or complete collapse. While it is unknown whether Mr. Kamble fully regains his former position in Annawadi’s society, Katherine Boo makes it clear that he is on the road towards his goal and that he will not collapse due to his stead fast resilience, motivation, and determination.
Annawadi, the Indian slum where Abdul lives, is actually land owned by the Mumbai airport. The slum is surrounded by luxury hotels which the people of Annawadi can only dream of being able to afford such lavish accommodations. Mr. Kamble, a former sanitation worker, is now unemployed due to his health condition and is living in Annawadi. Mr. Kamble was laid off because of his bad heart. His employers will only allow him to return to work if he receives a new heart valve and a doctor’s clearance. Mr. Kamble was unable to get the necessary operation, leaving him in search for another form of income.
Although he only makes a brief appearance in the book, the rise and fall of Mr. Kamble is described in detail. It is told how he was given a job, a surname, and a bride from a city government worker who pitied him. Mr. Kamble was successful in all aspects of his life: job, family, and home, but it all came to an abrupt end when he was fired from his job because of his cardiovascular disease. It may seem as though Mr. Kamble went from one of Annawadi’s great success stories to a story with a common tragic ending, this is not the situation. Mr. Kamble was able to stay resilient and determined. Even when the hospital told him he needed fifty thousand rupees for the surgery so he could return to work, he never backed down. He proceeded to ask for donations for his heart valve surgery from everyone. He convinced the Corporator and an executive from the paint factory to donate thirteen hundred rupees. Consistent with Mr. Kamble’s physical decline, his heart valve fund comes up well short of its mark. Mr. Kamble however, is not deterred and remains determined to find a way to come up with the money needed for his operation. He goes to Asha with a brilliant plan to ask for a government loan for his fake small business, but Asha turns him down. Throughout Mr. Kamble’s journey he stays stubbornly determined and motivated to return to his previous job. His attitude towards remaining a productive member of Annawadi’s society never wavers as he is continually trying to get the money needed for his operation.
Resilience, motivation, and determination are the keys to keeping one’s hopes up and fighting to remain a productive member of society. These qualities fueled Mr. Kamble’s resolve even when parts of his life were unfairly taken away. Katherine Boo conveys the message that one must stay focused on a worthwhile goal to avoid becoming a forgotten or insignificant member of society. Mr. Kamble centers his attention on obtaining enough money for his medical procedure so he can ultimately get his job back. When part of someone’s life falls apart their surroundings and environment will lead them down one of two paths: the road to one’s former self or complete collapse. While it is unknown whether Mr. Kamble fully regains his former position in Annawadi’s society, Katherine Boo makes it clear that he is on the road towards his goal and that he will not collapse due to his stead fast resilience, motivation, and determination.