Themes in Balance of Fragile Things

¶ … Balance of Fragile Things

Change and Upheaval in Balance of Fragile Things

Change is the only constant. In today's unstable world, both the old and new generations are being forced to deal with dramatic change. This is one of the most prominent themes in Olivia Chadha's novel, Balance of Fragile Things; change becomes the driving force of the novel. In a tumultuous world filled with so much change, it makes it difficult for the characters to uphold the traditions and expectations of the past; instead they have to forge their own blended future to survive in such a strange new world. Change upsets the delicate balance of things, and threatens the family's ability to find any sort of balance in a tumultuous modern world.

The family's past traditions often do not work in balance with a modern American lifestyle. Vic is a typical American teenager. He is worried about his image and constantly being bullied in school. It is the very parts of his character that embody the past that are what get Vic teased so much in a modern world. His braid and turban set him apart from the modern world; "his braid tumbled halfway down his back, a precursor to an imminent turban-wearing future. The length of his hair shocked even Vic as he stood with it naked to the world" (Chadha 1). It is a connection to a past that Vic is not even aware of in his modern context. Vic's father, Paul, describes the link between the braided hair and the gurus of their religion. He tells Vic, "this unshorn hair, this kesh, was a symbol of his connection to their martyrdom and willingness to protect those who were unable to protect themselves," (Chadha 6). Vic's prominent nose is another connection to an unknown past. It is a physical embodiment of his heritage, yet he does not seem to connect to it in a positive way, as his parents do. Here, Chadha writes "his mother had told him his profile illustrated his relation to great rulers across oceans and time. These rulers, she said, were conquerors who led their people to victory. Vic had never learned more about these rulers, their names, or their empires" (Chadha 2). The past is not wearable in the present. Both Vic and Isabella seem unfamiliar with their heritage and see it almost as a hindrance to their modern American lives in the present. They are not in balance because they cannot find a synergy between their past and their present.

Isabella and Vic create their own sanctuary in a world where they are not in balance. The fully American Vic and Isabella have trouble living up their parents' expectations of upholding Sikh and Latvian traditions. Isabella wants to be herself, a hybrid in a new and modern American world, yet her mother has trouble understanding this. In the scene where Isabella goes to the gynecologist, the barrier between her past and future is evident. The doctor tells her that her pain is probably caused because her "system is out of balance" (Chadha 69). However, later the family finds out it is much more serious. For Isabella, her escape is her play. She is given the lead, which allows her to enjoy connecting to a modern American context. Even during her illness, she uses the play and the rehearsals as an escape from all the change going on around her. This restores a sense of balance in her life, when there is so much change. It is her own way of finding a new, hybridized identity to help deal with all the tumultuous change going on around her. Similarly, Vic finds peace and balance in nature, especially in the little forest space he calls "his land" (Chadha 82). He enjoys watching the natural world and trying to understand its wonders. At one point, it is this connection with nature that alludes to his current condition. He finds a dead butterfly that he cannot explain the exact breed. He writes in his blog, "I have found butterflies that match parts of this description. Perhaps it's a new breed I've found, or perhaps nature has created a freak, like me" (Chadha 51). The butterfly represents the new hybrid existence the family must come to terms with. They are not fully the embodiment of their past, but they have not yet found the perfect balance of the future. For now, they are a hybrid breed.

Yet, even with their attempts to create a new balance, all the dramatic change in their lives continues to make this difficult. First, their grandparents move in to the family home, which disrupts the balance of the family hierarchy. Papaji upsets the order where Paul is the head of the household. He treats his son poorly and embarrasses him in front of Paul's children. This takes away from the authority Paul has created in his own world in the United States. Papaji and Oma represent the old world still trying to upset the creation of a new world. It is a constant reminder of the past and how the past can continue to impact the ability to prepare for change in the present. All this change makes the world quite unstable, and makes it even more difficult to live up to past traditions and expectations. Maija says to her mother, "What can we do now? These children know nothing of the past" (Chadha 172). The reminders of the past the grandparents bring to the family only continue to upset the chance for finding balance in an increasingly tumultuous world. The past haunts the characters, who are then challenged with all the upsetting changes that are to come.