Science+vs.+Spirituality

 **What do I need to know about ... Science vs. Spirituality?**  **Brief Description** DOCTOR vs. SWAMIJI  These two characters and the conflict of their ideologies is one of the most blatant instances in the book of science against superstition, with the doctor and his educated background representing the successes of science and the swamiji in all his mystic glory the epitome of spirituality. After the novel dances around the two concepts for the first two chapters, both beliefs finally meet face-to-face, as it were, when Susila falls ill and Krishna turns to the doctor for help. At the same time, his mother-in-law summons the swamiji, and the reactions of the two individuals to the scene as well as Krishna’s reactions to them is what pinpoints the main disparity between their ways of thinking.  BROWN vs. HEADMASTER This is relevant to the changes which Krishna goes through because as he moves away from Brown and the Western, ‘civilised’, scientific culture he moves toward the Headmaster who has a more spiritual, non-materialistic way of living and teaching. Krishna’s feeling about these two characters who themselves are at the two extremes of what is represented in the book changes. For example if Krishna had met the Headmaster before Susila died and he was still teaching at the college and not searching for answers it is quite possible to assume that Krishna would have shunned him. It is also possible to assume that if Krishna in his spiritual state at the end of the book had met a character similar to Brown he would have felt the same superiority over him in knowing that he was more spiritual.

KRISHNA vs. SUSILA In the beginning of the novel Krishna is more logic and scientific minded. The fact that he only works for money and is often stressed in moments of chaos suggests that he is also attached to materialistic things as well as being arrogant as he believes that his ideas are correct and everyone should believe them. On the other hand Susila is a more open minded, spiritual person. She is calm and spends time praying which shows that she is religious. However, there are times when Susila and Krishna 'switch places' as Susila becomes more logical and Krishna more free and relaxed as Krishna endures his chaotic alarm clock, that doesn’t even work. He even he visits a temple with Susila which shows that even in his locked up and closed mind he still has some sense of freedom and spirituality in him. In contrast, Susila is attached to money as she obsesses about finance. She is also strict with Leela and sometimes concerned about her control of her family. Therefore this creates an obvious contrast between the two main characters.  **Key Quotations** **Quotations for the doctor:** //“[The doctor] looked like a film star being mobbed by admirers.” Page 67 “...a great machine dispensing health, welfare and happiness.”  Page 68 //These quotations, showing Krishna’s initial impression of the doctor, show not only the popularity of the man but the very attractive front science and the scientific exude. Its proven successes comfort people, and give them confidence, as can be seen by the following quotation:  //<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #131111; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">“Susila and [Krishna] felt more confident and happy after [the doctor’s] visit.” “[The doctor] ... radiated good cheer” page 75 “‘...typhoid is the king among fevers’” page 72 //<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #131111; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Moreover, the above quotation shows how important it is for the doctor to keep a good face, despite the fact that his administrations //“did not help the temperature to go down.” (Page 71)// It is almost a reflection of the way science insists it is right until its hypotheses are proved wrong in the future. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #131111; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">

//<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #131111; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">“I [took] him to be a beggar.” page 79 // //<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #131111; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">“...a bad man, a fearful man!” page 79 //<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #131111; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">This is in turn the complete reversal of the first impression the doctor gave Krishna. It points out that, oftentimes, spirituality can be viewed with contempt and occasionally fear. It is not easily understood. Instead of welcoming the swamiji as Krishna did the doctor, instead he: <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> “...//watched it all...in fury” page 79// //<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #131111; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">“...felt ashamed and wished [he] could spirit away this mystic.” Page 79 //<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #131111; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">These quotations also portray what little stock the swamiji gives to his appearance. Perhaps it proves that if one is spiritual, one’s belief is so strong one need not make reassuring white lies and need only focus on one’s methods or perhaps this simply shows the swamiji’s overall eccentricity. Moreover, the methods of both the doctor and the swamiji are vastly different. When confronted with Susila’s fever, the doctor: //“[recommended] days of iron routine” page 74// Gave Susila //“bitter pills”// <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #0d0c0c; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">The swamiji, on the other hand: <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #0d0c0c; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"> //‘uttered some mantras with closed eyes and...rubbed [sacred ash] on Susila’s forehead” page 79 “got up...muttering: May God help you to see the end of your anxieties.” Page 79// <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #0d0c0c; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #0d0c0c; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">This points out the routine of science; the result of tedious experiments and proved methods, while the swamiji’s methods focus mainly on belief and prayer. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #0d0c0c; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Since Susila dies in the end, the book does not actually pinpoint which method was most effective, nor does it give any indication which one is preferred. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #0d0c0c; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">
 * Quotations for the swamiji:**

//<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #0d0c0c; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">“children are keener sighted by nature” // this is said to Krishna by the headmaster. It is when Krishna first meets him. In western society children are ‘seen and not heard’ which is the complete opposite to this new way of life that the Headmaster is presenting him with. Although Krishna is shocked when he hears this initially, he blurts out “what is wrong with you”, it is the only explanation he has been presented with so he accepts it. “Brown’s thirty years... had not been ill-spent if they had opened [people’s] eyes to the need of...correct English” when Brown is criticising the English department over a dropped “u”. Brown is demonstrating the cold rigidity of the British and all that they stood for in India as colonists, including science. It is when Krishna first starts to question Brown and hence the theories and system he represents.
 * Quotations for the Headmaster and for Brown:**

<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #0d0c0c; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Headmasters view on teaching – “the meaning of the word joy – in its purest sense” <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #0d0c0c; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">Krishna <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #0d0c0c; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">’s view on teaching (as taught by Brown) <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #0d0c0c; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"> – “ mugging up Shakespeare” <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #0d0c0c; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">The Headmaster is a very spiritual man whom only works or does things that he believes are right not what other people tell him, however it is important to note that he listens to an astrologer who tells him he will ‘die’ but this is contradictory as he actually does not die but he changes his view on what he thought she meant to make his astrologer correct. How reliable does this make the Headmaster therefore? However it is the Headmaster's spiritual revelation that happens here which inspires Krishna to leave his job with Brown and take on the Headmaster's responsibilities in the school. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #0d0c0c; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"> //<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Rent + salary (Pg 22) //<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #0d0c0c; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Krishna <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #0d0c0c; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"> mentions these words a few times (repetition) which also emphasizes his dependency on materialistic things. //<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #0d0c0c; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">“I saw her sitting serenely” <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #0d0c0c; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"> (Pg 28) //<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #0d0c0c; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Susila seems calm, relaxed this rises above time and order in the material world which then contrasts with Krishna a few moments before when he was panicking and also emphasises how different the two are. //<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #0d0c0c; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">‘Her eyes closed and her lips slightly moving” (Pg 31) //<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #0d0c0c; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"> Susila is so moved and feels as if she is one with the spirits. //<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">"There on a pedestal she kept a few silver images of gods, and covered them with flowers." <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"> (Pg 31) //<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #0d0c0c; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">suggest that she is very spiritual and does not seem to care about anything else except her “//deep secret life” (Pg 31)//. //<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #0d0c0c; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">“Oh! becoming a yogi!” (Pg 31) //<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"> //"[Krishna] mildly joked about it" (Pg 31// //<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #0d0c0c; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">) // Krishna mocks Susila but she just “treated [Krishna] with the utmost difference” (Pg 31) this shows that Krishna does not agree with Susila and thinks that her spiritual ways and //“her gods” (Pg 31)// are mistaken as he want her to think and view life like him. //<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #0d0c0c; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">“Sanstri the logic man always said that it was the best shop in town” <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #0d0c0c; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"> (Pg 35) //<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #0d0c0c; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"> Krishna only believes people who have similar opinions than him and this also suggests that Krishna doesn’t have his own opinions. //<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">"no time to be sitting down" <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"> //<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Krishna <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"> only focuses on time and his materialistic world.
 * Quotations for Krishna and Susila:**