The Rope in the Water

After reading this book for a second time, I am disappointed. The first time I read it all of the abstract ideas and mental images were new to me. I thoroughly enjoyed it then because the idea of Indea was intruiging. Now I know a lot more about India, mostly due to my close friends and roommates Pam and Sabrina who are Punjabi. I now realize that this book doesn't actually have much valid historical information (it does have some info. on religion but does not back it up) or content. Don't get me wrong, the form is very pleasing. (I knew first year English was good for something, 'form' and 'content' were drilled into my skull). Sylvia Fraser writes vividly about her so-called experiences during her trip to India - the soul purpose of this trip was to find a moment of enlightenment as she did not feel enthusiastic or extra motivated with life. The descriptions of her trip sound fictional due to the vast effort she has put into describing her surroundings. Yes, it is important to describe what everyone else is doing around her for the setting, but I was left frustrated in being pulled around by vivid descriptions without digging any deeper into current issues in India or surrounding Bhuddism. The book is written as if she is on a drug and not experiencing the world critically, she takes every experience as a symbol, on purpose!! That is ridiculous to me, but what do I know. She left for India with expectations to have a magical time and the book is written as if her time topped all expectations. Good for her if this is true, but having travelled many times, I know that things don't run as smoothly as they appear to in this book.