Rebirth

In a lifetime many individuals experience episodes that dictate the course of the rest of their life. When it comes to Jasmine, the main character in Jasmine written by Bharati Mukherjee, she too experiences life changing events that prove to change her tone. It all starts with the passing of her husband, Prakash Vijh, who was killed by a bomb when she is a mere seventeen years old. This tragic event led to her embarking on a mission that would see her travel to the Florida International School of Technology, where her husband had been given a scholarship prior to his death. Her plan was to travel there and burn herself upon the campus setting in the name of her love. This however leads to her first encounter with the United States which forever changes her perspective on things.

            Upon arrival in the U.S. Jasmine is taken in by a man named Half-Face. He was called Half-Face because of his fake glass eye and his scarred appearance. Quickly Half-Face intrudes on Jasmine by forcefully carrying her bags and taking her into his care. Soon after Jasmine found herself in his room, with Half –Face half naked standing over her. “He pulled me off the floor and dropped me on the bed” (Mukherjee 113). The event that followed was horrific. Half-Face carried on and raped Jasmine, leaving her in a sense of shock and uneasiness.

            After the tragic episode Jasmine found herself with a knife that was previously given to her by an African man who feared the intentions of Half-Face. She went on to take out her feeling son Half-Face. She began by cutting her tongue allowing her mouth to fill with blood. Next she slit a small incision on Half-Face’s neck and poured her blood into his. Net she threw the sheets onto him and “began stabbing wildly through the cloth, as the human from beneath it grew smaller and stiller” (Mukherjee 119). She then made her way to the bathroom and began to shower. This is the moment when Jasmine experiences her rebirth. The cleansing of her body makes her realize the true mission at hand, and even through her trauma, the memory of her fallen husband still lives on. This episode in the life of Jasmine was her turning point. She states “death was being denied” (Mukhjeree 121). Thus death had time to spare and soon her travels would soon show its significance.