To sir..

I am being tempted a lot to blog about Netflix shows. But I am not some simple minded woman whose only form of entertainment is tv and Netflix. So.

I am re-reading the classic “to sir, with love” and really appreciating it this time. 

Braithwaite is young, talented, educated. Yet is unable to find proper job. Because of his skin color. Whenever he goes for an interview, when interviewee sees him face to face, he politely rejects him.

It is incongruous you say . People are not descriminated because of their skin color any more. Of course, it is from an olden era. The story happens in post-world war England. 

But is it really incongruous ? What did us president say a week ago? Ok, ok those foreign people are not broad minded like us Indians. We don’t insult others, no matter who they are. We just beat them up a liiitle bit, until they are liiitle bit dead. And only if they try to hurt our mother - go mata. 

Don’t beat me yet. I am not an anti-national. And definitely a hindu. I am ready to say Jai shri ram as many times as you want. I don’t eat beef or any other kind of meat. And I watch Arnab TV and all other desh bhakti channels.

Why do I circle back to same topic? We were talking about the book. Finally Braithwaite lands a job as a teacher in a school in poor neighbourhood of London. But the students are unruly, disrespectful and insolent. The head master asks Brithewaite to be patient and understanding because of their circumstances. 

Here the question arises can a person be really be sympathetic and empathetic to others if he is facing prejudice, injustice and humiliation himself. One thought which filled Braithwaite’s mind is they are not black kids. 

But as the story proceeds he matures into a very good teacher and the kids start respecting and loving him. 

By the way, the book is autobiographical.