The Village By The Sea by Anita Desai.

Chapter Summaries by T. Savou.

Chapter One.
The story starts with a girl named Lila walking on the beach while thinking
about her miserable life and admiring everything around her. Lila was the
eldest of three kids. She had two younger sisters and a year younger
brother. Lila wasnt like any other kid; she dropped out of school and
worked to provide money for her family (same thing for his brother Hari).
They had a sick mother who was to week to move and a father who did
nothing but sleep and get drunk. Hari (Lilas brother) was working one day
on the fields when a friend of his stopped by and began talking about the
factories that were going to be built in their village. These factories will
facilitate everything. Hari thought that maybe he might get a chance of
working there. But how to work in a factory when hes not even educated.
Lila and Hari talked about their family situation and the fact that they are
running out of money and no one knew what else to do.

The chapter continues as Bella and Kamal came back from school and
when to the beach to collect Molluscs for dinner. At the beach there were
mothers, grandmothers and kids working with love unlike Bella and Kamal.
People there started gossiping about the rich family as they walked by.
They talked about their innumerable fishes and boats.

Pinto the dog has been introduced to the story. The narrator talked about
his story and how did he become a part of Lilas family. Pinto was a village
mans puppy (the man was also named pinto). When the man disappeared
and left his puppys behind, Kamal picked the weakest one of all and took
it home.
Chapter two.
The Chapter started with Lila who was at the market going to buy some
home supplies with the money that she had. A new character got
introduced to the story, her name is Mina she is Lilas friend and it seemed
that she doesnt live under poor and miserable conditions like Lila, her

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family seems richer we saw that when Mina went to the market with Lila
and she bought hair products and many other things she didnt seem to
care that much about the money that she spent. In the mean while Bijus
boat was being built and thanks to Lila and Minas conversation the reader
now knows that he is rich because he was a smuggler.

A conversation between Kamal, Bella and Hari was held Hari was talking
to his sisters how rich people were smuggler and he clarified that all he
wants is to become rich even if it means going away or even becoming a
smuggler himself.

The DaSilvas are a very rich family from Bombay who had bought a house
by the sea in Thul. They came every now and then to spend time near the
sea. Hari was very busy since their arrival because Mr.DaSilva charged him
of some chores and he paid him (That means that when they came Hari
kind of had a temporary job). Even Lila was in charge of house work, she
swept the floors, cleaned around, tidied up the place They seemed nice
they even gave Bella and Kamal some old toys and sweets. When they
were about to leave, Mr.DaSilva asked Hari if his father might be interested
of getting a job as guarding there house, but sadly when he met him he
insulted him and refused to give him the job because of his drunken
attitude and lifestyle.

Harry was very affected and disappointed with the conversation and the
insulation of Mr.DaSilva. He went to have a walk and there he met a man
whom had a talk with about the factories that were being built. This man
was responsible of the factories and started talking about how big they will
be even bigger than the ones near the city. I think he made it clear that he
wont let the unemployed of Thul work there because they were
uneducated Hari was kind of discouraged and he went back home.

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In the end of the chapter Lila, Bella and Kamal were sitting all together
near the fire in the dark, the looked sad and gloomy. But Why?

Chapter three:
In the ending of chapter two, Hari walked in on his sisters and found them
in a gloomy mood and they seemed unhappy. This chapter is the
explanation of the reason of their sadness and their apprehensive attitude.
It all started one morning when Lila found her mother worse than what she
had been and realized that something was wrong, she had very high fever.
Lila was hopeless and didnt know what to do; she barely had any money
to call a doctor (they lived far away probably in the city) or even take her
to the hospital. So the only think she thought of was sending her younger
sisters next door to ask their neighbor if she could help their mother. But
their ironic and sadist neighbor sent them instead to a magic man to help
getting the evil spirits away from their mother. Later that evening with
harry not back Lila, Kamal and Bella were scourges because of the past
events and it got even worst when one of the three drunken brothers
junctured and came over to ask for money brusquely. He frightened them
and mocked them (when Lila told him she had no money and he was ironic
about it Like father, like daughter. A family of liars, no goods page 85).
But his mother who was their next door neighbor interfered and made him
go away.

Chapter four.
The chapter starts with Hari who was walking around the village to get his
mother ice, when witnessed (along with a couple of villagers) a vague,
rude and discouraging conversation between Biju and a city man. Bijus
boat was almost ready to go out and start sailing in the wide open sea until
an unknown city man came and told him that Thul was useless and fish are
shrinking and if he wanted to catch some fish he would have to take his
boat and sail far away because there was no fish anymore on their land.
The reader knows little about that strange man, but the narrator identifies

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some traits like the fact that he worked and was kind of in charge of the
factories that were being built. He also knew a lot about the future of Thul
he even shared it with Biju and the people who were surrounding him (like
that they would have to sell their land so that the government can build
many factories and there is nothing the villagers can do about because no
one will listen). When Hari got back from getting the ice for his mother
he heard screams and shouts from their hut, it was his sisters. They were
crying and wailing loudly because their dog pinto had been poisoned. The
girls believe that it was their neighbor (one of the three drunken brothers)
who is in charge of their dogs death hes the one that poisoned him;
because when passed by the other day he threatened them of killing their
dog (taking revenge) if they did not pay the money their father owed him.
At last the chapter closes with Hari who is sick of the misery that is
surrounding him. He decided to run away and never coming back to Thul.

Chapter five.
Bijus boat was ready to be launched and everyone in the village was
waiting for the tide so they could start sailing it. In the meanwhile men of
the village were headed to Bombay to protest and try to save their land by
make an agreement. Not much happened in this chapter in Thul only Bijus
boat was waiting for the tide to come up and it seemed that it wasnt
coming up soon. They waited and Biju was furious, eager and impatient.
And unluckily the tide didnt come up as high as he wanted so that he can
lunch his boat. So the only thing he thought of was starting the engines
manually and they didnt give up easily precisely Biju they kept on trying
several times. After many days of working and trying it finally started and
sailed thanks to Biju who was always angry because of his workers failure
of starting the boat. Haris friends noticed that he wasnt around for the
few days and no one knew where he was. But the narrator identified in the
end of the Chapter that he ran away as he wanted, far away from Thul.

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 Chapter six
The chapter starts with Hari reaching Rewas and from there he took a bus
with strangers who were heading in his same direction and went to
Bombay. On his way he was hungry, confused and anxious each minute he
got closer to Bombay. He didnt expect that they would be many people
going there to protest; even Adarkar the organizer from Alibagh stood at
the head of the stairs guiding the crowd so they wont lose each other in
this big city filled with people. Farmers, fishermen shouted and sang with
their commandments and Adarkar didnt stop reminding them why they
come all this way for. Hari didnt stop questioning himself if he was ready
for this new life and he didnt know if by coming to Bombay and leaving his
family behind he had done something wrong. He was confused.

Bombay was a surprise for Hari, he didnt imagine it that busy and
crowded. He couldnt believe their busy lifestyle and the cars, busse, taxis
that he saw. The author identified the fact that Hari doesnt know much
about the city when he saw the traffic lights and didnt know what to do.
Even the policeman mocked him and claimed that he should come back
from where he came from because the government wont listen to their
commands.

Hari made a new friend whose name is Mahe. Mahe seems like villager as
well who came to fight for his rights. Hes the one who told Hari not to stop
because they had to go to the Kala Ghoda, The black Horse.

Three men gave speeches in a censure of a square to help these villagers

fight for their village, rights and stop the factories from getting built. The
first one was Sayid Ali who gave a remarkable speech and seemed like he
truly wanted to save the village and prevent the factories from getting
built. The second man didnt give a convenient speech and even the
listeners were glad when his short speech was over. The last one to give
the speech was their leader Adarkar who got the highest cheers because
he was one of them and truly wanted to save every one of their rights.

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The second part of this chapter the author takes us back to the Hut in
Thul. Lila was totally surprised when her brother didnt come home for so
long and she was worried and wondering why. She didnt want to believe
that he ran away, she knew that he was somewhere around the village.
The hut was empty and it was lonely without Hari and Pinto. Lila needed
Haris help so badly because she was in charge of everything. When she
sent her sisters to get some ice for their sick mother they bumped into
Mina who told them that Raju was informed that Hari was in Bombay
participating in the petition. As soon as they heard they went over to tell
Lila the news she couldnt believe that her brother ran away and left them.

The chapter ends with Lila informing her sisters that The De Silvas were
back.

Chapter seven.
Hari was lost and didnt know what to do in Bombay. For hours he
wandered around the Black Horse, not daring to leave because he had no
other place to go. Everything was strange around him, even the people
themselves werent trust worthy and amiable. He had a conversation with a
coconut seller who seemed to Hari strong, wise and admirable but as soon
as he walked away from him another strange man came and warned him
about him and saying that he is a killer. Hari was afraid from the square
and from a distance he saw something that looked familiar to him and
made him feel homesick The Sea. Hari walked along between the sea
and the buildings. There he saw happy families eating, playing and having
fun and remembered something that could help him get along in Bombay.
He had the De Silvas address all along in his pocket.

Hari went to ask for direction and the man who indicated the way assured
him in an ironic way that this place was royal and only rich people live
there. It was night when he found the building Seabird. It was nothing
he expected and other people lived there. It was very crowded and when

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Hari finally found the apartment the door man answered in a very rude
way (he informed him that the De Silvas were in Thul, that they had
enough servants and are not in need for Haris help) and slammed the door
at his face.

Hira Lal, the watchman of Seabird saw Hari confused and lost without
somewhere to go. He proposed to help and took him to his friend Jagu.
Jagu gave him food and somewhere to sleep.

Chapter Eight.
Hari stayed at Jagus cheap restaurant called The Sri Krisna eating house.
It wasnt welcoming and Hari didnt feel welcomed but in the same time it
was so cheap even a beggar could afford it and he had nowhere else to go.
Hari ate and slept there and the next morning Jagu gave him more food.
Hari proposed to pay his meals by working in the kitchen because he had
no money. Jagu accepted his proposal and made him work with two other
young boys in return free meals and one rupee.

Hari started his work immediately along with the two other boys who
werent friendly and didnt talk at all with him. They had endless work and
it was very hot. Hari met an old man who worked at the store next door.
The old man told him about the story of the two boys who worked with
Jagu. There were orphans and their parents died in a train accident. As
soon as he heard his story he decided to write his family a letter informing
them about his situation and hows he doing. But he did not tell when and
where he is or when is he coming back.

Back in Thul, Lila and her sisters were helping the De Silvas settling in and
getting everything tidy. The cook asked about Hari because he needs his
help during the month that theyll be staying in. Lila told him that she will
do the work instead of him and her sisters will help as well.

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The next day the De Silvas were in need of more bread so Mr. De Silva was
going to drive to Alibagh. Hearing this, Lila dropped everything and went to
ask him for a favor of taking her mother and driving her to the hospital
because shes getting weaker and weaker. Mr. De Silva accepted and took
her mother to the hospital and talked to the doctor and nurses. The doctor
said that her mother will be needing time to get better and that they
should come back later.

Lila had no option but leaving her there and when she came back next
week she found her better and awake. For the first time the reader saw
Lilas father caring about something. When he heard that his wife was in
the hospital he flipped and insisted on going and staying with her. For the
first time Lila found him sober and not drunk, he accompanied his wife
during her stay in the hospital.

Lila was supposed to be working for the Da Silva in return of her mothers
medicines and hospital care but they were so generous and told her that
she will be having a salary so that she and her sister can get what they
need. They even gave her father some money to buy food so that he could
look after his wife without being tiered. And also after they leave they will
make her work at their friends house.

The chapter closes with Bella and Kamal shouting with joy and informing
Lila that they heard from Hari.

Chapter nine.
The work was not easy in the fire lit kitchen of the Sri Krishna Eating
House. Hari worked the hole and he was always tiered and didnt get any
sleep. In Bombay the weather was very hot and humid and that cause
Haris lack of sleep and tiredness. Hari even slept in the park because of
the kitchens poor conditions and very hot weather that kept him from
sleeping. Jagu kept his promise and offered Hari food and one rupee in
return of his work. Also the watchmaker Mr. Panwallah was always here to

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advice Hari. He offered Hari extra work with a salary in his shop and told
him that hes going to make a watchmaker out if him.

Back in Thul, the De Silvas were packing and getting ready to leave. Lila,
Bella and Kamal were helping getting things in order. Her mum was still in
the hospital and Mr. De Silva told Lila that she will be staying there for a
while. Her father who seemed like a new person was still accompanying his
wife and thanks to Mr. De Silva who was always there with financial
support they had money to afford their mothers stay in the hospital and
even had a lot of rice, tea, rice and more in their hut.

The De Silvas friend came before they left and settled in. Now Lila and her
sisters had no one to look after or take care of so they were all his. They
cooked; swept, made sure he ate his meals The visitor seems weird and
doesnt stop observing the nature and birds. Bella and Kamal assumed that
he was studying birds but they never talked with him because he seemed
like a loner and didnt like company. His name was Sayid Ali Shahib, even
thought he was strange and hard to read, he seemed like a nice man. He
gave Bella and Kamal money to buy sweets and paid Lila a salary in return
of her work.

Now that money was possible everything was getting better and better for
Lila and her family. They didnt have many conflicts as they used to have.

Chapter ten:

Hari was in Bombay still working in Jagus restaurant when the monsoon
came. It was in June, the clouds were dark and it was raining for week.
Mr.Panwallah had been a great companion to Hari he treated him like his
own son. The monsoon made life hard for people in Bombay and when the
storm started everyone stayed indoors because everything was flooded.

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Work was still very hard on Hari he was always tiered because Jagu didnt
give them some time off and the work was doubled. The young boy felt
imprisoned in the restaurant and had nowhere to go. He couldnt sleep in
the park because it was raining and he didnt have a family even
Mr.Panwallah was sick and his shop was closed so Hari didnt have any
company.

One night Jagu sensed Haris sickness and misery when he was sitting in
the floor alone looking out of the window while coughing and proposed to
take him home with him to spend the night and offer him medicine.

Now Hari had never seen where Jagu lived, he didnt even know much
about him. But for his big surprise he discovered that he was living as well
under poor circumstances and his house was made out of tin-can, rag and
plastic sheets. When Hari entered the house he found the floor covered
with mud and the rain was splashing in from the walls and the ceiling.
Jagus Family was huddled on a string bed; their belongings were in
cardboard boxes

Hari was unwelcomed by Jagus wife. She kept on screaming and yelling
that bringing Hari was wrong because they couldnt afford a guest. When
she pulled up a fight with Jagu he left the house and went to Toddy to get
drunk. Hari was left helpless there and didnt know what to do, but the
next morning he left because he knew that there was no room for him
there.

The following day the watchman from the tall building called Seabird, came
to inform Hari that the De Silvas were back and he might have a chance of
getting a better job if he goes and meets them. But Hari was confused and
didnt know what to do or whether to go or not.

Lila and her sisters were doing fine. When the monsoon came they stayed
at home. Their father stopped drinking and was always stayed by his wifes

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side in the hospital. Thanks to the gentleman who was still around even in
the monsoon season and employed Lila and gave her money she could
afford her house supplies and more.

In Thul the fishermen could not stay at home without working and fishing
so one day they took their boats and went into the sea even if it was wild
and there was a storm coming. They neglected Bijus and went fishing.
Unluckily the boats that sailed in this bad weather were lost for four days
and thanks to Biju who informed the navy and coastguards they were able
to save some of them, but sadly three died because of the sinking of their
boats.

The chapter ends with Lila, Bella and Kamal talking about how much they
miss Hari and that they hope for his comeback.

Chapter eleven.
Mr.Panwallah and Hari were having a conversation at his apartment talking
about the fact that Hari shouldnt worry, hes going to go back home to his
village soon when the monsoon is over and the ferry start sailing again.
When the watchmaker didnt go to his shop Hari decided to stop by and
visit him in his tiny apartment. They had a long conversation about
everything that had been going on and at the end they concluded that Hari
shouldnt have left his village in the first place and as soon as the weather
changes and coconut day comes Hari will leave the city. When he came
back to the restaurant to inform Jagu his boss, Jagu begged him to stay
until the Diwali and then leave so that he could hand over the job to his
brother. Hari accepted and even looked at it as a way to stay and learn
some more from his old friend Mr.Panwallah who promised to teach him as
much fixing watches skills as he could so that one day he would have a
business of his own.

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Coconut day came and everyone was out celebrating kids were running
around, families were having picnics even Hari and Mr.Panwallah were
among these crowds heading to Chowpatty with a green coconut carrying
it to the sea as an offering to it at the end of the season of storms, in
thanksgiving for its safe end. Hari had never seen anything like this and he
was totally amused and excited to witness such a thing. Mr.Panwallah was
being a very kind friend, he knew that Hari was saving all his money for his
sisters so he was the one who paid for him everything.

After staying in Bombay for a while Hari was becoming a real city boy.

Chapter twelve.
After Jagu and Mr.Panwallah bought Hari a ticket to join the buss, he was
finally back home. It was very hard to say goodbye to the friends he had
made in Bombay and he even promised to keep in touch and send
postcards. When Hari to Thul he went directly to his tent that bought him a
lot memories and things he had forgotten. Lila went out with hurry as soon
as she heard him calling their names, she was sure that he would be back
home by this time. They had a lot to talk about, like Haris new plans, Lilas
mother being in the hospital, Mr.Sayiid who was employing Lila and gave
her money

While eating Bela and Kamal arrived home and they were filled with
hubbub when they saw their brother. He gave them the present that he
has gotten them from Bombay and told them the story of his journey and
hard work and thats where he got his money from. The girls were
surprised when they knew that his brother learnt how to repair watches
and that he is planning on being the first watchmaker

Now the family had the money they needed and went out to buy fish for
dinner. They still had a lot to talk about. Hari told the girls about

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everything that happened in Bombay and what he is willing to do with the
money hes got now. His plans excited the girls so much. The girls told him
about the De Silvas generosity and how they helped their mother. Hari who
feared the news about his father was surprised to know that he wasnt
drinking anymore

Diwali was next morning and their mother will be coming back home.

Chapter 13:
On Diwali morning, Hari left his sisters to prepare for their mothers
homecoming. He set off to Alibagh because the doctors said that she would
be coming home on that day. On his way there Hari met Ramu and he
gave Hari a lift. When they were on the road the young men talked about
their updates and what was new.

When Hari arrived to the hospital, he met his father who hugged him and
welcomed him. When it was time to go in and see his mum, she couldnt
believe her eyes. Hari couldnt even recognize his mum because she grew
better and was much stronger than last time he saw her. She was so
happy that he finally came home.

Back in the Hut, the girls were getting ready for their mothers arrival, the
prepared everything and placed everything in order.

When their mum came home they all sat around the fire, sharing stories
and enjoying their time. For the first time their father talked about the past
and how sorry he was for the past and how he was incharge of every bad
thing that happened including Pintos death.

Since Haris arrival he wanted to go and meet Sayiid-Alisahib who was very
nice to his sisters when he was away. HE recognized him from Bombay and
they kept on talking about Haris future and how he had everything

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planned. And Sayid even gave Hari his watch to repair (it was the first
watch that he repaired since his arrival).

When he came back home Hari took his sisters to the Race on the beach.
There everyone was celebrating, playing, enjoying their time, watching the
race. And while walking on the beach for the first time enjoying
everysecond without worrying about anything, they saw a beautiful lady
walking towards them with flowers in her hands. And for their surprise it
was their mother

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