To inherit, in general, means to come into possession of property from someone else, whether it’s through ancestry or a former owner. Loss is unfortunately associated with any gain, and therefore, loss is just as equally inherited as the possession gained. By becoming a part of the judge’s household, Sai not only inherited the lifestyle and relationships, but also the many forms of loss that accompanied their life. The young men participating in the rebellion for proper representation (creation of a new state – Gorkhaland) had inherited a loss of identity through the way they’ve been treated. The idea of loss is common throughout the book in different examples and intensities.
Physical things are lost; they are somehow taken from the lives of the characters. One major example was when the Gorkhas stole the guns from Cho Oyu. The guns were important to the judge, and he obviously took pride in them as they were honorably mounted on the wall at the end of the hall. The judge had inherited these guns from “his days in the Indian Civil Service” (5), and now that they’re gone, he’s consequently inherited the loss of them. Another precious item that becomes lost is the judge’s dog, Mutt. The dog is stolen by people related to the man falsely accused of stealing the guns, who are incredibly upset. Their motive derived from anger leads to the loss of an emotionally important entity to the judge. He was rich enough to have the privilege of owning a dog, and in the end, the sudden loss of the dog showed how fast loss can be inherited. Sai, who initially had no emotional connection to the dog, is now affected by the loss of this dog, as it was part of the lifestyle she ended up inheriting by moving in with her grandfather.
Relationships are inherently lost in this novel as well. Sai and Gyan, and the deportation of Father Booty are a few examples. Regarding Sai and Gyan, their relationship developed over the fact that the judge had enough money to hire a tutor. Therefore, by being part of a relatively rich household, Sai inherited the privileged lifestyle, therefore able to have a tutor. Their relationship began, but unfortunately ended just as fast. Sai therefore inherited the loss of the relationship as well. Sai also met Father Booty through the new lifestyle she became a part of when she moved to live with her grandfather, and their friendship was also abruptly lost by unfortunate circumstances. By entering the life of the judge (and the cook), she hence had the privilege to meet a large amount of people and create many new relationships. Unfortunately, the loss of these relationships was inherited eventually as well.
In the fight towards the creation of Gorkhaland, the Nepali rebels had been through enough mistreatment to feel as though they have inherited a sense of lost identity, which is why they are striving to have their own land and proper representation. The combination of mistreatment and passion for their goals caused the elevation of passion towards fixing what they claim was wrongdoing against them, and consequently end up losing some humanity when the riots get violent enough to result in death. Their loss of identity resulted in a loss of humanity.
Inheriting loss is not confined to this novel; “everyone [has] to accept … loss in life” (252). Speaking from personal experience, University is a major example that demonstrates the inheritance of loss. Being born into a family that could afford to help me attend a relatively expensive form of education, I inherited the money that had been placed aside for my University education. However, the privilege of post-secondary education comes with big losses that are inevitably part of the experience. The loss of familiarity that accompanied high school and living at home, the loss of sleep, and the loss old relationships that are broken by distance. Something is inherited, but not without being accompanied by the inheritance of loss simultaneously.
Overall, the characters in the story experience a variety of inheritance, whether tangible or emotional things, while also inheriting the loss that comes with the gain. Loss is inherited just as easily as anything else, as losing things are an uncontrollable part of life. What does it mean to inherit loss? It’s simply the eventual consequence that is associated with the initial inheritance of anything. In our lives, things that we have inherited are often untimely lost, but by observing the events that occur in this book, we can conclude that this has been happening for generations, and is simply a part of life. Ever since we enter the world, every connection that we inherently make has a beginning and an end, and it’s humbling, yet saddening, to know that everybody must experience loss at some point in their lifetime.
