From Fiction to Facts: Rohinton From Fiction to Facts: Rohinton Mistry‘s Mistry‘s Lend me your Light Lend me your Light as a as a
literary reflection on emigration from literary reflection on emigration from India to CanadaIndia to Canada
StructureStructure
Fiction: short story by Rohinton Fiction: short story by Rohinton MistryMistry
Facts: General information about Facts: General information about emigration from India to Canadaemigration from India to Canada
Comparison fiction and facts Comparison fiction and facts
Lend me your LightLend me your Light
Written by Rohinton Written by Rohinton MistryMistry
Indian Kersi emigrates Indian Kersi emigrates from India to Canadafrom India to Canada
Problems to adapt to Problems to adapt to the new culture the new culture
Feeling of guilt Feeling of guilt Visits Bombay Visits Bombay
disappointed disappointed Not able to overcome Not able to overcome
his problemshis problems
Message of the Message of the storystory
Shows how difficult Shows how difficult living in a diaspora living in a diaspora situation can besituation can be
Story is part of the Story is part of the book „Tales from book „Tales from Firozha Baag“ Firozha Baag“
Rohinton Mistry Rohinton Mistry Emigrated from Emigrated from
Bombay to TorontoBombay to Toronto won several prices won several prices
and two of his and two of his novels were even novels were even shortlisted for the shortlisted for the Booker PriceBooker Price
Immigration regulationsImmigration regulations 1960s harsh 1960s harsh
immigration immigration regulations were regulations were abolishedabolished
new immigration new immigration system, based on system, based on division of immigrants division of immigrants into 3 categoriesinto 3 categories
The Independent and The Independent and Economic classEconomic class
Family classFamily class Refugee class Refugee class
Indians living in CanadaIndians living in Canada
Canada‘s Canada‘s populationpopulation 30 30 millionmillion
About 5 Million About 5 Million foreign bornforeign born
5.7% Indian5.7% Indian 713.000 people of 713.000 people of
Indian-originIndian-origin 10% of Toronto‘s 10% of Toronto‘s
population is Indianpopulation is Indian
IntegrationIntegration Indian culture is Indian culture is
present in Canadapresent in Canada Indians suffer from Indians suffer from
many problemsmany problems homesickness, stress, homesickness, stress, have to cope with have to cope with discriminationdiscrimination
Problems to enter Problems to enter labor marketlabor market no no Canadian work Canadian work experience, degrees experience, degrees aren't acceptedaren't accepted
Jobs don‘t fit to their Jobs don‘t fit to their level of educationlevel of education
But majority But majority economically successfuleconomically successful
High level of High level of integrationintegration policy of policy of multiculturalismmulticulturalism
1960s discussion started1960s discussion started 1988 policy of 1988 policy of
multiculturalism part of multiculturalism part of constitutionconstitution
Cultural mosaic- unique Cultural mosaic- unique parts fitting together parts fitting together into a unified wholeinto a unified whole
MeasuresMeasures dual dual citizenship, support of citizenship, support of cultural works of cultural works of different ethnic groups, different ethnic groups, education in language education in language and democratic rights and democratic rights
Comparison fiction and factsComparison fiction and facts
Story reveals problems of emigrationStory reveals problems of emigration There are many problem, but there There are many problem, but there
are success stories eitherare success stories either Influence of Mistry's personal Influence of Mistry's personal
emigration experience emigration experience just one example, emigration is an just one example, emigration is an
individual experienceindividual experience