A House for Mr Biswas Study Guide

A House for Mr. Biswas is the story of a Trinidad native of Indian ancestry. Mohun Biswas is nominally Hindu, although he questions much of traditional Hindu Indian culture. The novel has been called tragicomic, but Mr. Biswas is no comic buffoon. Despite being buffeted by economic, social and cultural forces beyond his control, and frequently making mistakes, Mr. Biswas is ultimately portrayed as a man of quiet dignity, who meets the challenges of his times with grace. The novel is tragic because life itself is tragic. It is funny, because life is often comical. Mohun Biswas is born to a poor but high caste family in an agrarian setting. The family suffers a reversal when Mohun is around seven years old, leaving them to rely on the benevolence of wealthy relatives. Mr. Biswas works a vari... (read more)