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Action and Reaction

Chithra Fernando (1931 – 1992)

 Chithra Fernando is a Sri Lanka writer who had an ability to write short stories with a
folk quality.

 This short story is taken from the short story collection “Three Women” publish in
1983. The story deals with character derived from the Sinhala Buddhist village
background in Sri Lanka.

Themes and Overview

The short story “Action and Reaction” highlights through the character of “Loku Nanda” that
people have cravings and desires. “Loku Nanda” who is an unmarried woman wishes to
protect herself as a person of priority and deep religious faiths. However through the eyes of
Mahinda, nephew, it is reveled that Loku Nanda is a hypocrite.

In a predominantly Buddhist environment and culture in the society of Sri Lanka the writer
highlights that some Buddhists like “Loku Nanda” care more for the precepts rather than the
practice of Buddhists. “Loku Nanda” was a more interested in building temples, donating
loudspeakers and organizing Pirith ceremonies. But not much focused on the practice of the
Buddhism. On everyday life her treatment of Kusuma reveals that she did not practiced the
precepts that she followed, Even Kusuma follows “Loku Nanda” was of paying more attention
to precepts rather than practices she builds a shrine room but does not take a good care on
“Loku Nanda”.

This short story reveals the cast and the class system still deeply entrenched in our society.
This short story was published in 1983and reminds us the deeps in our society still conscious
of these superiorities. “Loku Nanda” does not want to adopt Kusuma at a daughter’s sense
because her father is a today trapper. But at the end of the story when she is totally
dependent of Kusuma she admits that Kusuma is “like a daughter to her”.

The story highlights the extent to selfishness as a spinster decides to bring up a servant in
the selfish how that she would lack after in her old days. Out of gratitude in her selfishness
desire to retain Kusuma she prevents her from getting her from getting married and she
brings it to her suffering. She denies Kusuma on all her basic rights such as Education,
Freedom and Leisure. Kusuma grows up experiencing selfishness and in terms she also
turns out to be selfish and “Loku Nanda” becomes a victim of Kusuma’s selfishness.

The title of the short story is in keeping with “Karmic Law”. Which it is believed according to
Buddhism, that your next life will be desired by the good deeds you perform on this life. “Loku
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Nanda” fails to understand that this Buddhist motive is more important than deeds in
accumulating merit.

The mentions that her desire is to continue her reborn and hopefully to enjoy a similarly a
good life it is her hope that her good deeds will help her to be reborn as she desires. The
story reveals to you that “Loku Nanda” is believed to be a good Buddhist that she does not
go to understand it at all as she has chosen to interpret. Even her family members do not
appear to have understood this aspect in the way than the narrator, Mahinda, has
understood.

“Loku Nanda” portrays as a self wiliest character and therefore beyond reproach she is
portrayal as a conventional spinster in our society. But what is the difference is that her
brothers and sister are not perceptive of which the story also makes varied suggestions
about the spinster in traditional society but also does not beyond allusion the render is left
ponder.

The story also discusses the theme of servant hood in Sri Lankan society. The story reveals
through the years of Mahinda and Mala about the denial of Kusuma’s rights as a child. She is
denied the rights of education and freedom. She has become a virtual slave of the modern
day to “Loku Nanda” with the children of her own age go to school. She has to spend her
time sewing, polishing furniture and knitting. It also highlights that the poverty is the main
factor for any quality. By age is being illegally employed and highlights also the issue of child
labour hood. Therefore the most important part of the story is that the denial of the children’s
rights and violation of labour laws is done by a practitioner of Buddhism. This highlights the
main theme of the short story which are “Loku Nanda” s hypocrisy and self righteousness
and obviousness of the society. The story reveals that society does not critically evaluate the
conduct as a result “Loku Nanda” is to be exemplified to her nephews and nieces. However
this story is seemed through the eyes of Mahinda who is the narrator of the story and as a
child of new generation he proves to be smarter than the adults at the same time this reveals
how the previous generation (Parent’s generation) tended to think within conventional
structures. Throughout in the minds of Mahinda and Mala seek radically change the way
society thinks and acts.

Conclusion

The reality has revealed invitingly by Mahinda that “Loku Nanda” is a frustrated spinster who
is obviously concealing her frustration due to the social responsibility of the role. In Mahinda’s
father’s family “Loku Nanda” and “Punchi Nanda” are both spinsters. The story does not
reveal any valid reason for “spinsterhood” and views the reader to fonder on the choice of life
style. For Kusuma’s spinster hood was not a choice but a factor determine by her poverty.
“Loku Nanda” in her frustration scheme to protect a positive image of her personality and
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therefore chosen to present herself as a very religious personality. But Mahinda through the
typical character trains of a spinster. Therefore the short story also reveals with the social
aspect of a spinster. Through the character of Kusuma he sees her frustration, like Loku
Nanda earlier. Being never married as also resulted in her talking of refuge in the religious
life. To give a relevance and importance in the family.

Questions

Discuss “Action and Reactions as a critique of customs in Sri Lankan society.