Agita and Ha Jin 1

Running head: AGITA AND HA JIN: DIFFERENCE IN VALUES

Agita and Ha Jin: Difference in Values

Márcio Padilha

Lewis Clark State College

ENGL 258 – Norden

Fall/2010
 Agita and Ha Jin: Difference in Values

In contrasting the realities portrayed by Agita and Ha Jin, one is left to ponder as to what

the meaning of the interplay between pragmatism and idealism is within the construct of

Balram’s and Guhan’s worlds. Whereas Agita depicts a world where extrinsic motivators seem

to play a pivotal role in individual development, Ha Jin’s views tend to express a world where

motivation runs at a much more intrinsic level. Both characters, nonetheless, seek to attain self-

actualization and, in doing so, raise interesting facets of their status quo.

At a socio-political macrosphere perspective, Balram’s and Guhan’s experiences greatly

differ. Whereas both India and China share in the commonality of mega populations, each

contrasts radically in the socio-political realm. India claims to be the world’s largest democracy;

China is often frowned upon for being the world’s largest communist state. Sharing in a

commonality with skewed facts, Indians are socially gagged by strict traditions whereas Chinese

face a similar issue due to a stringent legislative component. Nevertheless, despite its

totalitarianism, China is able to maintain an internal level of order and a living standard which

brings the value of India’s democracy into questioning. In a world of real needs, which one is the

most important: idealism or pragmatism?

Balram claimed to be a “self-taught entrepreneur” who never finished school. Guhan, on

the other hand, alludes to being an educated man himself who further values education as an

important social component. This brings an interesting social divergence into context. Whereas

Balram’s education was cut short due to social protocol, i.e. he ultimately had to be pulled out of

school in order to work and help pay off a family dowry loan, Guhan has a parental attitude that

education will enhance his children’s life opportunities. Thus, once again, the theme of idealism
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versus pragmatism is brought to attention: should a parent who curtails his or her child’s

education due to culture be thought of as reprehensible?

Another point of diversion between Balram and Guhan lies in their family statuses.

Balram rebelled against tradition by refusing to accept his grandma’s proposal for an arranged

marriage. Guhan, on the other hand, showcased the picture-perfect communist party family

portrait: husband, wife, daughter and son, where two children would typically indicate that the

first born was not male. In addition, Balram belonged to a family comprised of several extended

relatives in a matriarchal social reality. Guhan, however, belonged to a very nuclear family

comprised of spouses and their children within the sphere of a patriarchal society. A common

point, nonetheless, appeared to stem out of marriage restrictions. In the Indian scenario, caste and

dowry were determinants factor whereas the capability of procuring living quarters approval

from the state-run housing authorities played a decisive role in the Chinese scenario. Once again,

idealism versus pragmatism resurges in that both worlds try to optimally balance “being” and

“having”.

In reference to one’s notion of self-value, Balram and Guhan have extremely dissonant

perspectives. For Balram, self-value comes entirely from extrinsic factors which do not

necessarily align with socially acceptable moral conventions. He takes pride in having managed

to become a successful businessman who rose to financial success out of his own creativity while

totally neglecting that his start-up capital had originated from a murder. Guhan, on the other

hand, portrays to be one who, in accordance to socially acceptable moral conventions, earned his

way through hard work and diligence. Whereas Balram thrives in being the one who can always

pull a “fast one” on someone else for personal profit, Guhan’s demeanor is that any act which

could be potentially perceived as selfish is detrimental to his status quo within his continuum.
Again, idealism and pragmatism are expressed in questioning the true meaning of being smart

and being able to move in a way which will benefit one’s interests in the long run.

As to family values, Agita and Ha Jin tend to use collateral characters to express radical

differences. In Agita’s book, Madam Pinky abandons her husband in Delhi and runs to New

York whereas in Ha Jin’s book, Shan, whose family perished in an earthquake, feels so sad that

she cannot “shut her family out of her mind” during her second wedding night. Once more, the

idealism of not letting go of love is contrasted to pragmatism of tending to one’s wishes.

Still stemming out of the marriage continuum, Balram comes from a reality where one is

“expected” to have many children despite one’s financial status. The number is an assertion of

value within society. Guhan, on the contrary, comes from a reality where one is “allowed” to

have children, a society which places value on quality over quantity. In another facet of such

antagonism, Balram, who could have had as many children as he wanted to, did not want to have

any and Guhan, who could not have as many children as he wanted to, was happy to be able to

join in the once in a life time opportunity of being allowed to have an extra child. Thus, idealism

and pragmatism clash in the issue of family planning.

In regard to identity, Balram’s main issue lied in the fact that he metamorphosed

throughout the story, ultimately deleting his identity from society in order to evade punishment

for his crime. Balram’s actions evoked a very strong self-volitive element. Guhan, nevertheless,

had his identity involuntarily deleted following a psychological trauma. Whereas Balram eloped

into a new identity and a new life, Guhan was compulsorily removed from his normal life and,

being aware of his amnesia, he faces the existential dilemma of finding out who he truly is. Thus,

the pragmatism is manifested via volition whereas idealism is manifested via existentialism.

Following the earthquake which left Guhan with amnesia, the Chinese State developed a
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strategic plan as means to restructure local society by marrying widowed men and women while

adjoining a child or two, or maybe a parent, to the package. Analogically, this seems to

streamline with Indian marriage traditions which remove love and/or the volitive factor from the

equation. Thus, whose best interest is at stake and how much idealism and pragmatism are at

play?

Agita’s and Ha Jin’s stories depict facets of life which are inherent to humankind.

Whereas all thrive for quality, the issue of how much that quality is worth lies upon each

individual. Whereas no any facet of the spectrum reflects the whole truth, all facets of the

spectrum do reflect some truth. Agita and Ha Jin show different human perspectives who

ultimately seek happiness while navigating their ways through idealism and pragmatism, trying

to account for how much life is worth giving in for. Ultimately, these are questions which,

despite lack of awareness, transcend throughout the world social fabric.