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Chapter 18
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Absurdity and Chaos
Nature vs. Modernity
Traditions, Customs, and Expectations
Exploitation of Spirituality
Summary
Analysis
The authorities of Shahkot come up with various plans to address the monkey problem. Verma furthers his investigation into his plan to kill the leader of the monkeys and display its body to ward off the others. The Brigadier plans to disperse soldiers throughout the area to fire their guns until the monkeys are frightened away from the area. The CMO decides that the best course of action is simply to revoke all of the town’s liquor licenses and ban alcohol so that the monkeys have no reason to terrorize the town. Meanwhile, as the other officials dream of success and promotions, the superintendent of police remains idle, as he likes living in Shahkot and doesn’t want to risk a promotion that would see him relocated.
Once again, the government officials display their ineptitude in increasingly absurd and ridiculous ways. Their half-baked plans seem unlikely to disperse the monkeys, despite Mr. Chawla’s reliance on them. As nature invades civilization by way of the drunken apes, it seems that the best Shahkot’s government can muster is a handful of silly schemes. As worried as Sampath is about losing the monkeys and his new life in his tree, these unlikely plans might offer some hope that modernity is no match for nature.
Themes
When the three officials arrive at Sampath’s orchard to receive his blessing for their plans, they’re accompanied by a crowd of angry citizens. The officials’ plans were leaked, and now everyone in town knows about them. Sampath can barely make out any of the words being spoken as the officials and the crowd shout madly at him. Everyone furiously argues for or against one plan or another, overwhelming Sampath and making him sick to his stomach. After he vomits from his perch in the tree, the crowd disperses, still arguing with each other about who really caused Sampath to become ill. Alone again, Sampath remembers how pure and joyous his life had been when he first moved into the orchard. Sadly, his thoughts return to the troubled present.
At this point, Sampath becomes completely overwhelmed, just as he was at the beginning of the novel. In other words, despite his attempts to escape into nature, modernity has fully caught up with him, more bewildering and exhausting than ever. Sampath may live in a tree nowadays, but everyone in Shahkot expects even more of him than before, drowning him in responsibilities and preconceived notions of what he ought to do and say. They continue to exploit Sampath to further their own ends, even when they see how sick they’ve made him. No refuge seems safe anymore; Sampath’s life has been thrown into complete chaos. The consequences of his and Mr. Chawla’s actions can no longer be avoided.
Themes
