Literature

Onion Tears

Debut Novel Nominated for SA Literary Award

Are you a raw onion or a ripe mango in life?

Khan, currently completing her Masters in creative writing at the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, has the unique opportunity to have her debut novel published by the esteemed publishers Pan Macmillan.

IslamOnline.net's (IOL) correspondent speaks to Khan about the novel, its relevance in South African society, and how the public can get involved. 

IOL: Why Onion Tears?

Khan: The theme of onions runs throughout the novel. Khadeejah, the cook, warns her daughter that in life everyone aspires to be perfect like a ripe mango, but no one wants to be like a raw onion and this is what sets the tone of the novel really - are you a raw onion or a ripe mango in life?

All three characters' lives seem to indicate that they are raw onions and so the novel explores this and in doing so it deals with the problems they face and thus, their tears.
 
Also, I was fascinated by the effect the common onion has on people – it is quite an uncontrollable reaction and it made me think that there are many situations in life that we as human beings just naturally react to in uncontrollable, strange ways. Very much like the characters in the novel.

Khan: Onion Tears is a story about the lives of a strange grandmother, a rebellious daughter and her own angry daughter. The novel is primarily about a young girl’s search for her supposedly dead father but it also entwines other stories of love, loss and hope.

IOL: Is it a conventional story?

Khan: Onion Tears is a story about the life of the average South African Indian woman but it takes a different look at that life. It weaves between thoughts, emotions and history to paint a fragmented picture of the three female characters.

There is no straight forward 'story' as such. The pieces of history and bits of thoughts and feelings tell the story. I hope in this way, it manages to mimic life – as there are no definite rules to follow or right answers. Life is about looking for answers through exploration and I believe this is what the novel does.

IOL: Would you say the story & its characters mirror South African Indian society?

Khan: This is the story about a broken family with some rather eccentric characters, so many people would disagree with me when I say that yes, I think it is. But we must bear in mind every family has its problems; every human being has something about themselves that they would like to fix. Every family has its 'raw onions' and internal disputes.

Broken families are very much a part of life in the Indian community in South Africa and essentially the novel is about finding a way to love each other despite our different outlooks on creed, race or religion – something I think every Indian family in South Africa experiences.

"Broken families are very much a part of life in the Indian community in South Africa and essentially the novel is about finding a way to love each other despite our different outlooks on creed, race or religion." Khan

Khan: I don't believe there are enough stories coming out. Yes, there are a lot more stories emerging now as compared to before, but there are never enough to keep up and do justice to the changing dynamics in this society.

But I think that goes for most small communities everywhere. Do communities encourage their people to share and write about its internal conflicts? I would say it's not a welcome idea. People might encourage stories that promote their community but will shy away, sometimes even reject the stories that criticize them.

I am sure there are topics in my novel that will make some readers squirm uncomfortably in their seats but you can't pretend the prejudices and problems don't exist in our communities.
 
IOL: What are some of the social issues that you tackle in this book? Are there certain issues still taboo?
 
Khan: I have not written Onion Tears with the intention to tackle any social issues. I've written this novel to tell a story about a family. In doing so, some social issues had to arise. How does the Indian Muslim community feel about issues like race, suicide, other castes and other religions?

As I've mentioned earlier, these will undoubtedly make a few people feel a little uncomfortable. I don’t claim to have all the answers, but these things are sometimes painfully apparent and we must acknowledge them. Of course, some people would consider some issues taboo but to me these are the issues that need examination and reflection.

IOL: It has been nominated for the Citizen Book Prize. Tell us about the award and how people can vote for it?

Khan: Onion Tears was short listed with 8 others for the Citizen Book Prize 2009. If it wins, it will be published by Pan Macmillan. For the past 8 weeks there has been a different synopsis in the Citizen newspaper and readers can vote for the synopsis they enjoy most on the South African book website: www.book.co.za.

The three highest voted manuscripts will go though a final round where the publishers will then choose a winner. To vote, readers must please visit www.book.co.zabetween 5 and 11 November 2009 and visit the competitions tab on the main page and vote for Onion Tears by Shubnum Khan.

IOL: Who will the novel appeal to?

Khan: I hope it does not appeal to one specific group of people. The novel explores family ties and loss of love.

Also, there's a strong theme of identity conflict running through out the novel - characters question their 'Indian-ness' and their loyalty to a country they don't even live in anymore. So these are elements that should have a universal appeal.

Azad Essa is a journalist, lecturer and an aspiring filmmaker. He completed an MA with the Global Studies Program in 2005, spending semesters in Germany and India, during which he encountered a number of head-banging social theories explaining why the world was, is and always will be unfair. He can be reached via artculture@iolteam.com.