Transcript From Fiction to Facts: Rohinton Mistry‘s Lend me your

From Fiction to Facts: Rohinton Mistry‘s
Lend me your Light as a literary reflection
on emigration from India to Canada
Structure
Fiction: short story by Rohinton Mistry
 Facts: General information about
emigration from India to Canada
 Comparison fiction and facts
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Lend me your Light
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Written by Rohinton
Mistry
Indian Kersi emigrates
from India to Canada
Problems to adapt to the
new culture
Feeling of guilt
Visits Bombay 
disappointed
Not able to overcome his
problems
Message of the
story
 Shows how difficult
living in a diaspora
situation can be
 Story is part of the
book „Tales from
Firozha Baag“
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Rohinton Mistry
 Emigrated from
Bombay to Toronto
 won several prices
and two of his novels
were even shortlisted
for the Booker Price
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Immigration regulations
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1960s harsh immigration
regulations were
abolished
new immigration system,
based on division of
immigrants into 3
categories
The Independent and
Economic class
Family class
Refugee class
Indians living in Canada
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Canada‘s population
30 million
About 5 Million
foreign born
5.7% Indian
713.000 people of
Indian-origin
10% of Toronto‘s
population is Indian
Integration
Indian culture is present
in Canada
 Indians suffer from many
problems
homesickness, stress,
have to cope with
discrimination
 Problems to enter labor
market no Canadian
work experience, degrees
aren't accepted
 Jobs don‘t fit to their level
of education
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But majority economically
successful
High level of
integration policy of
multiculturalism
1960s discussion started
1988 policy of
multiculturalism part of
constitution
Cultural mosaic- unique
parts fitting together into
a unified whole
Measures dual
citizenship, support of
cultural works of different
ethnic groups, education
in language and
democratic rights
Comparison fiction and facts
Story reveals problems of emigration
 There are many problem, but there are
success stories either
 Influence of Mistry's personal emigration
experience
  just one example, emigration is an
individual experience
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