Everything’s Arranged
The short story ‘Everything’s Arranged’ by Siew Yue Killingley is about a Ceylonese girl named Rukumani that having a secret affair with a Ceylonese boy named Devanayagam while studying at University. Both of them love each other deeply. As they went for longs term vacation, their secret affair discovered by their parents. The story tells about how this young couple, especially Rukumani has struggled and suffered because of their family members, relatives and their community as they try to get together in life. Her marriage was arranged against her own wish.
The main characters in this story are Rukumani and Devanayagam. Meanwhile, the other characters are Johnny Chew, Amy Wong, Mr. Sambanthan, Susheela, Nadarajah, Rukumani’s mother and grandmother, Devanayagam’s father and Auntie Sally. As from the story, the setting of the story might be around early-stage after our country’s independence. During that time, love marriages are still alien to Indian cultural. The typical India Community thought fall in love as a big sin and only arranged marriage is allowed. The conflict of the story is about the rejection of love marriages by old generation.
The story reveals the conflict faced by the two lovers, Rukumani and Devanayagam, who are secretly in love. Their parents, who do not know about their love story, have arranged a marriage for them, and the problem comes when both of them have to marry to another persons. The first theory that can be related to the story is Feminism Theory, which can be defined as a “recognition and critique of male supremacy combined with efforts to change it. ” Feminist Theory is an outgrowth of the general movement to empower women worldwide, and it involves every sense, including belief in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes.
According to the theory, feminists fight for the equality of women and argue that women should share equally in society’s opportunities and scare resources. They try to fight for women’s right to be equally and fairly treated in the society, regardless of their gender. There are three ultimate goals of feminism, which include demonstrating the importance of women, revealing that historically women have been subordinate to men, as well as bringing about gender equity. ‘Feminist Theory’ is an umbrella term for Liberal Feminism, Radical Feminism, Socialist Feminism, and also Marxist Feminism.
Radical Feminism According to Radical Feminism, male power and privilege is the basis of social relations, and sexism is the ultimate tool used by men to keep women oppressed. As we can see in this story, Rukumani is not allowed to decline the marriage which is arranged by her parents as it is considered as rude. She does not even get the chance to make a decision for her own future. “The time for her marriage to be arranged would soon come…” Based on this line, we can deduce that sexism is the ultimate tool used by men to keep women oppressed.
Even at the beginning of the story, it is mentioned that Rukumani will soon get married to a guy who she does not know, and it is all arranged by her parents, without considering her feelings. Her father especially, has chosen someone who he thinks is the best for his daughter because of the cheap dowry his family willing to give. Even though Rukumani already has a guy who she loves, she knows that there will be a lot of obstacles that she has to go through for their love, and it might be impossible to continue the relationship because of the arranged marriage.
Realizing it or not, Mr Sambanthan, Rukumani’s father, is the one who gives oppression to his own daughter. He thinks that it is his right to find someone to be his daughter’s husband. “…had proved a disgraceful and shameless hussy by rejecting a match with a promising lawyer who was willing to accept a cheap dowry because of her B. Sc…” Rukumani is accused as an ungrateful child after her parents find out about her Chinese friend, Jonny, whom they taught her boyfriend. In this situation, women’s oppression is the deepest as the woman in the story has no right to do the things she likes.
On that day, Jonny, who is her classmate, came to her house in order to have a talk with her during the long term vacation. However, her little brother and her mother misunderstand about them, by claiming that Rukumani brings her Chinese boyfriend to their house. It is seen as a very shameful and immoral act, that her mother starts to think of what the society might think about their family. Plus, her mother tends to compare her with the neighbours by saying that their daughters have never brought a man into their houses. Rukumani is oppressed and she does not know what to do in order to set her free.
Her parents think that the guy whom they want to take as their son in law as the most perfect match for their daughter without considering Rukumani’s feelings. “At the same time, they liked to pretend that Rukumani was too spiritual to know everything about sex…” According to this line, women’s oppression is the most widespread as their lives are arranged that they do not have the chance to plan their future by themselves.
Men use sexism as their ultimate tool to keep women oppressed. In Rukumani’s family, everything has been planned by her father and no one is capable of objecting it. At times I think of committing suicide but I am not sure how to kill myself. ” Referring to this line, we can conclude that women’s oppression causes the most suffering in their lives.
In the letter she writes to Auntie Sally, Rukumani has mentioned that she somehow feels to commit suicide for the sadness and oppression she faces because of the arranged marriage. Marrying a guy who she does not even know is not her choice, and she is not willing to do that. At certain extent, she just feels like her life is reaching to an end, which she feels hopeless, hence thinking of committing suicide.
However, she does not do that as she does not know the way. It clearly shows that the decision made by her father has caused her to suffer in her life; she does not have freedom to make a decision for her own life. Liberal Feminism Liberal Feminism is about freedom, which all people are created equal and should not be denied equality of opportunity because of gender. It highlights the efforts on social change through the construction of legislation and regulation of employment practices. However, in this short story, the bias towards men can be clearly seen. …he could go out to shows with his friends.
” During the long vacation, Devanayagam can still hang out with his friends, but not for Rukumani. In their culture, women are not allowed to freely go out with their friends, and they are strictly controlled by their parents. It is not fair for Rukumani as she also has feelings and freedom to do the things she likes, just like men have. The freedom should be equally given to everyone, regardless of their gender. Just like men, women can as well manage their own lives independently and should not be restricted just because of one’s wish.
Psychoanalysis According to Sigmund Freud there are parts that involve in humans’ lives, which are id, ego, and superego. Id allows humans to get their basic needs met. Freud believed that the id is based on pleasure principal. In other words, the id wants whatever feels good at the time, with no consideration for the reality of the situation. The id does not care about the needs of anyone else; it is only its own satisfaction. As in ego, which is the second part, the personality begins to develop after interacting more and more with the world.
The ego, which is based on reality principle, understands that other people have needs and desires and that sometimes being impulsive or selfish can hurt us in the long run. It is the ego’s job to meet the needs of the id, while taking into consideration the reality of the situation. The ego acts a balancer or reminder, and it puts limitations to the id. It tells us whether our particular action is right or wrong. In this short story, Mr Sambanthan, who is Rukumani’s father, has a very strong id. He does not even care about others’ feelings whenever he wants to make a decision.
He has been arranging Rukumani’s marriage without even discussing with her, as knows that he has power to anything he wants to. “The time for her marriage to be arranged would soon come and she would find out all about that after she was married. ” This line clearly shows Rukumani will only know about her own marriage after she get married, and there is someone who is planning for her. With a very strong id, Mr Sambanthan wants the marriage to be successful without even realizing that he is actually being unfair to his daughter.
He only takes his feelings into consideration, and neglects others’. As a good father, he should first discuss with her daughter, and think of her feelings, as this matter is related to his daughter’s future. Instead, he rules everything in the house and once blaming his wife for not teaching good morals to Rukumani. Because of this, Rukumani feels so sad and worried if she had to break up with his boyfriend and got married with a guy she does not love, or even knows. “At times I think of committing suicide but I am not sure how to kill myself. In the other hand, the ego makes Rukumani not to kill herself because of the problem.
Rukumani once mentions in the letter she writes for Auntie Sally that she is thinking of committing suicide as a result of the pressure she feels. However, she does not do that thing as she is still able to think rationally. Nevertheless, Rukumani also has the strong id as she eventually tells her parents and the guys’ that she has a boyfriend that she loves. The action is considered as rude, and it is the reason why the guy’s family rejects her, and do not want to proceed with the marriage.
