midnight children by salman rushdie main character sketches
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Midnight's Children Character List
Saleem Sinai. Saleem is the sickly narrator and protagonist of Midnight's Children. ...Padma. Padma is Saleem's present-day caretaker. ...Shiva. ...Aadam Aziz. ...Naseem Ghani/”Reverend Mother” ...Mumtaz Aziz/Amina Sinai. ...Ahmed Sinai. ...“Brass Monkey”/Jamila Sinai/Jamila Singer.
Saleem Sinai. Saleem is the sickly narrator and protagonist of Midnight's Children. ...Padma. Padma is Saleem's present-day caretaker. ...Shiva. ...Aadam Aziz. ...Naseem Ghani/”Reverend Mother” ...Mumtaz Aziz/Amina Sinai. ...Ahmed Sinai. ...“Brass Monkey”/Jamila Sinai/Jamila Singer.
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Saleem is the sickly narrator and protagonist of Midnight’s Children. He was born at the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947, the same moment that India gained its independence from the British Empire. The time of his birth infused him with powers of telepathy, a gift he used to find the other children born near midnight on that same day. Later, he acquired a gift of smell that allowed him to discern emotions and personalities in people. In terms of his narration as a rhetorical device, he often forgets facts of his story. His assertion of magical powers and a supernatural connection with India in his narration also makes him unreliable storyteller. Combined with his narcissistic attitude and God complex, it is difficult for the reader to ascertain whether or not he is reading too deeply into his own existence. Overall, his story is an allegory for the birth and rise of India as an independent nation.
Padma is Saleem’s present-day caretaker. She is physically strong and brawny compared to Saleem’s frail, cracked body and therefore represents a more down-to-earth presence that keeps Saleem grounded. Rhetorically, her role is that of the audience as Saleem tells her about his growth in conjunction with India’s growth. Whereas Saleem will follow tangents and try to explain the significance of himself and his life, Padma is more interested in the action of the tale. It is her influence that balances out Saleem’s long-winded, prosaic story-telling. She also embodies the skepticism that the audience has for Saleem’s narration. Her disbelief of Saleem’s magic powers and metaphysical connection with India mirrors that of the reader.
Shiva is Saleem’s “midnight twin” although they were born to different parents. Due to a switch-up at birth and uncanny physical similarities between the two babies, Saleem was given to Shiva’s parents while Shiva was given to Saleem’s parents. Other aspects of Shiva’s life are inverted characteristics of Saleem’s life. For example, Saleem is sickly and introverted, whereas Shiva is robust, healthy, and extremely violent. Shiva's attributes which coincide with those of the Hindu god Shiva. Two other aspects of the god Shiva are part of Shiva’s storyline: destruction and procreation. These manifest when Shiva puts an end to the Midnight’s Children Counsel, and in the fact that he fathered hundreds of children with women all across India during his 20’s.
Aadam Aziz is Saleem’s grandfather. Saleem’s story begins with Aadam, an Indian doctor, returning to his homeland after obtaining his medical degree from Germany. He remains a wispy figure in Saleem’s life as Aadam became increasingly absent due to a “hole” that grew inside him after he lost his faith.
Naseem is Saleem’s grandmother. While she and Aadam had a unique courtship, their marriage turned sour quickly due to Aadam’s disgust with Naseem’s religious fervor. She became known as “Reverend Mother” because of her religious devotion, and grew large and powerful in response to Aadam’s shriveling personhood.
Amina Sinai is Saleem’s mother. Born as Mumtaz, the second daughter to Aadam and Naseem, she enters a marriage to refugee Nadir Khan. Once the family finds out that the two never consummated their marriage, Mumtaz is divorced and then marries Ahmed Sinai. It is Ahmed who changes her name to Amina to signify her new life as his husband. As a mother, she is devoted and loving and always puts her children first when Ahmed’s alcoholism threatens the family
Padma is Saleem’s present-day caretaker. She is physically strong and brawny compared to Saleem’s frail, cracked body and therefore represents a more down-to-earth presence that keeps Saleem grounded. Rhetorically, her role is that of the audience as Saleem tells her about his growth in conjunction with India’s growth. Whereas Saleem will follow tangents and try to explain the significance of himself and his life, Padma is more interested in the action of the tale. It is her influence that balances out Saleem’s long-winded, prosaic story-telling. She also embodies the skepticism that the audience has for Saleem’s narration. Her disbelief of Saleem’s magic powers and metaphysical connection with India mirrors that of the reader.
Shiva is Saleem’s “midnight twin” although they were born to different parents. Due to a switch-up at birth and uncanny physical similarities between the two babies, Saleem was given to Shiva’s parents while Shiva was given to Saleem’s parents. Other aspects of Shiva’s life are inverted characteristics of Saleem’s life. For example, Saleem is sickly and introverted, whereas Shiva is robust, healthy, and extremely violent. Shiva's attributes which coincide with those of the Hindu god Shiva. Two other aspects of the god Shiva are part of Shiva’s storyline: destruction and procreation. These manifest when Shiva puts an end to the Midnight’s Children Counsel, and in the fact that he fathered hundreds of children with women all across India during his 20’s.
Aadam Aziz is Saleem’s grandfather. Saleem’s story begins with Aadam, an Indian doctor, returning to his homeland after obtaining his medical degree from Germany. He remains a wispy figure in Saleem’s life as Aadam became increasingly absent due to a “hole” that grew inside him after he lost his faith.
Naseem is Saleem’s grandmother. While she and Aadam had a unique courtship, their marriage turned sour quickly due to Aadam’s disgust with Naseem’s religious fervor. She became known as “Reverend Mother” because of her religious devotion, and grew large and powerful in response to Aadam’s shriveling personhood.
Amina Sinai is Saleem’s mother. Born as Mumtaz, the second daughter to Aadam and Naseem, she enters a marriage to refugee Nadir Khan. Once the family finds out that the two never consummated their marriage, Mumtaz is divorced and then marries Ahmed Sinai. It is Ahmed who changes her name to Amina to signify her new life as his husband. As a mother, she is devoted and loving and always puts her children first when Ahmed’s alcoholism threatens the family
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