Welcome to the Land of Opportunity

    Many people believe that we are on this earth for some reason or mission. Some of us take our missions to heart, others could care less. Are you the one really in charge of your life? Is there some higher power making these choices for you. Is it the illusion of free choice?

    The main character in Jasmine, by Bharati Mukherjee, goes through hell to accomplish her life's mission. Last week I talked about how it seemed as Jade was lost floating through life allowing people to make the choices for her. This is another example of this. A mission takes Jade(or what her husband named her, Jasmine) to America. Jasmine's husband, Prakash, was planning to go to school in Tampa, Florida and start a “Real Life” with each other. A mission of burning her late husbands suit is her current that drives her to America. After Prakash is killed in a bombing, Jasmine realizes that she no longer fits in the in the Indian society and has to find a way to America.

    With help from her brother and all the money that her husband had been saving, Jasmine gets forged travel documentation which allows her to leave India. Several flights through three continents and a fishing boat, brings Jasmine to the Grand Caymans. Her last trip into America is on a smuggling vessel, The Gulf Shuttle, captained by Half-face.

    Once on land, Half-face takes a liking to Jasmine, helping her with her large suitcase and taking her to a ran down motel. Jasmine is oblivious to what is about to happen, but all she is worried about is “my mission” and how it is almost over. The man proceeds to take Jasmine to his room and thrust himself upon her.

    Now you might be wondering, there is no way she can be in control, she can't choose what is happening to her. I purposely left something out. Kingsland, a man on The Gulf Shuttle, had picked up on Half-face's motive and armed Jasmine with a knife warning her “Don't truss dat mon”, Half-face. She had the choice to take his advice and not go with Half-face, but she made the choice not to.

    Once Half-face gets Jasmine in his room, he slams Jasmine's head against a television. Then he looks inside her suit case. Half-face explains to Jasmine that you should travel light, and that “If you hadn't been carrying this bag, you wouldn't be in the deep shit now.” Instead of acting now while she still can,

Jasmine goes back to the ideal of fate and Gods mission for people. Jasmine believes this is happening to her because “we are all put on this earth for a purpose.”

    Half-face continues to take advantage of Jasmine and rapes her. Jasmine take her first western shower with instant hot water to cleanse herself. She reacts as a rape victim would, blaming herself for what has happened to herself. Contemplating suicide, Jasmine the knife from her clothes. Remembering her mission is not yet over, she slices her tongue instead..

    Instead, Jasmine goes back out into the motel room with Half-face. He is sleeping, totally naked not expecting Jasmine's knife to pierce his neck. Then in a fit of pure rage, Jasmine throws the cover over him and stab him over and over till his body is still. She takes another shower, wipes down the room of her fingerprints, puts her blood soaked clothes in the suitcase, and leaves. Burning the suitcase with the clothes, she leaves to go finish her mission to burn her husband's suit in Tampa.

    Jasmine taking this passive role, allowing it be in God's fate to decide what happens to her, keeps putting her in these unwanted situations. If there was a God in charge of your fate, would God be allowing these things to happen to you? Without control, you float allowing yourself to run a muck into unwanted obstacles.