What attitude to abortion comes across in this section, and what does it say about Indian society? May 28, 2008

In this section, Maji informs the narrator that she was pregnant. She also tells her about the midwives in Satipur, which will come to her to offer her their services. Later, she also tells the narrator, that she had been a midwife, too, and she could help her. At first the narrator doesn’t understand, but then she realizes, that Maji offers her to make an abortion. She also assures the narrator that she could trust her, as she knows all about it. This qualification was very necessary, because “in many cases it is the only way to save people from dishonor and suffering” (p.129, ll.8-9). In addition to that, Maji explains the narrator, that there are “several ways to procure an abortion and she has at one time or other performed all of them” (p.129, ll.6-7). She tells the narrator about these abortions and the narrator is fascinated of them.

The section proves that abortion is a very important subject in India. I can imagine that there are several reasons to make an abortion, for example the lack of contraceptives. I’m sure that Inder Lal couldn’t stand the dishonor, if the narrator’s pregnancy would become public. Another possible reason, we already talked about in our school lessons, is, that many families couldn’t pay an expansive wedding and the dowry, if they’d get a girl. So they make an abortion because of absence of money. As the public health system and the hygiene in India aren’t the best, the risk, that the mother or the baby die, is pretty high. Perhaps families that know they couldn’t care for a baby prefer an abortion.

All in all, there are many possibilities, why a woman or a family makes an abortion. However, I got the impression, that an abortion isn’t something special in India; at least the narrator doesn’t seem to be shocked by Maji’s offering. It seems odd, because in Europe an abortion is always something negative and the parents are always accused.