In the post-modern world, readers have an ever-expanding thirst for distinct perspectives. Anita Nair, in her latest novel Eating Wasps, strings together enough tales to compensate for the apparent dearth of feminine narratives. This intriguingly titled book pulls you into the life of 10 principal women characters of various ages and social backgrounds — from an infant who falls prey to the evils of the adult world to a middle-aged woman trying to escape an overbearing lover.
To bring cohesion to the plotline, the writer brings alive the ghost of a writer, Sreelakshmi, who killed herself half-a-century earlier. The spirit is naturalised as a seeker of stories who gazes into minds troubled by the trauma of assault, sibling rivalry, and even tribulations caused by social media. As the women fight their situations with resilience and “galvanise the story,” the men take a back seat.
Excerpts from the interview:
How did you conceive these stories and convert them into one novel?
I had written some of these stories as standalone pieces, but after a while, I began to see a connection in terms of theme. And when I arrived at the character of Sreelakshmi, I knew how exactly to weave it together into a novel.
Eating Wasps touches on the idea of women’s love in the middle ages. Do you think our literature has not addressed this issue enough?
Traditional literature upholds young love and ‘happily ever after’. The fact that you can sometimes stop loving a person after a time is an anomaly that only some writers want to tackle. They take a risk in that it may alienate a reader, but I have always believed that nothing worthwhile can be achieved without an element of risk.
One of your characters, Najma’s Ammi, is an uneducated yet progressive woman. How important is it to share the stories of such people?
I have met many strong women who can’t even sign their name. I think it is very important that these are the stories that are told. But a person with no education, who is financially underprivileged, could fall into a rut. When they pull themselves out of it to gaze at the world with clear-eyed precision, it is more than admirable. It is inspiring.
There is a mention of #MeToo in the book, and now, the movement has achieved even bigger momentum in India. Any thoughts on this?
At this point, the #MeToo movement is making rapid strides within urban India. However, it needs to extend beyond panel discussions and outing of predators. It should percolate down to people who live outside of social media. I also feel we need to introduce into school curriculum, how to treat women with respect and dignity.