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GIVING VOICE

URI & Kolkata Experiences

These two self-guided “tours” are based on The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri, a work of fiction that takes place partly at the University of Rhode Island and partly in Kolkata. These tours are designed as walking tours that progress through the novel to connect place to experience.
Lahiri’s second novel tells the story of Gauri and brothers Subhash and Udayan. Gauri and Udayan fall in love while Subhash is in the U.S. for graduate school. After Udayan is killed by the police, Subhash proposes to a pregnant Gauri to help her to keep custody of her child. The newly married couple returns to the University of Rhode Island, where feelings of uncertainty, alienation, and indifference plague Gauri.
This project was made possible through collaboration with Syamantakshobhan Basu of Jadavpur University in Kolkata, India and a grant from the URI Center for the Humanities and was created and produced by Catherine Winters.
All excerpts come from the hardcover edition published in 2013 by Knopf.

A URI Experience

This tour is based on The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri, a work of fiction that takes place partly at the University of Rhode Island. Lahiri’s second novel tells the story of Gauri and brothers Subhash and Udayan. Gauri and Udayan fall in love while Subhash is in the U.S. for graduate school. After Udayan is killed by the police, Subhash proposes to a pregnant Gauri to help her to keep custody of her child. The newly married couple returns to the University of Rhode Island, where feelings of uncertainty, alienation, and indifference plague Gauri.
During this tour, you will be able to hear Gauri as she struggles with beginning a new life in a new country. It is our hope that this experience will give voice to others who feel out of place in our community.

Giving Voice URI Map

Continue reading “A URI Experience”

A Kolkata Experience

This tour is based on The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri, a work of fiction that takes place partly in Kolkata. Lahiri’s second novel tells the story of Gauri and brothers Subhash and Udayan. Gauri and Udayan fall in love while Subhash is in the U.S. for graduate school. The excerpts in this tour focus on the beginning of Guari’s relationship with Udayan.
During this tour, you will be able to hear Gauri as she falls in love and learns more about the Naxalite movement in India that Udayan joins. 

Map of locations in Kolkata, India    Map of downtown locations in Kolkata, India

Continue reading “A Kolkata Experience”

Creation

Giving Voice grew out of a Public Humanities graduate course offered by the English department of the University of Rhode Island in Spring 2017.
This project was made possible through collaboration with Syamantakshobhan Basu of Jadavpur University in Kolkata, India and a grant from the URI Center for the Humanities.
It was created and produced by Catherine Winters.

Continue reading “Creation”