Guided Reading: Last Man in Tower

Last Man in Tower: A Novel by Aravind Adiga was one of the better books of 2011.  The plot revolves around an old and venerated apartment complex, the Vishram Society. Inaugurated in the late 1950s, it houses an affable mix of Catholics, Hindus and Muslims, the Vishram is a monument to idealism. Its residents are like a large, cheery family, exuding middle-class respectability in the midst of a slummy Mumbai neighborhood. If the residents of Tower A, Vishram Society, pride themselves on anything, it is their respectability – their "pucca" way of life in their "unimpeachably pucca" apartment building. Like Jean-Paul Sartre’s play No Exit, it provides a kind of locked-room character study as the residents of the Vishram try desperately, then viciously, to persuade Masterji to accept Mr. Shah’s lucrative destruction. Do the convictions of one man cancel out the desires of the rest of the civic body?

  
Last Man in Tower by Aravind Adiga   382 pages published by Atlantic Books on June 16, 2011 ISBN 9781848875166

I have selected this book because it is an exercise in learning vocabulary in context and because the vocabulary will not be found in any dictionary...and because it is a great story! It is also an exercise in identifying the classical pieces that are used to create the plot of a book. The values expressed in the book and the questions posed by the author are universal. The author has included a glossary of terms and the people in the book as well as maps of the tower.  The optimal reading speed is about 35 pages a day. Not everyone will read at the same speed and not everyone can read everyday. Ten pages a day when starting to read is acceptable, gradually trying to increase your speed. Post your comments and questions.

The plot of a book is a series of incidents linked together according to a definite plan or scheme. In any plot, the author must create a problem for his characters to solve. Whatever the problem, it must be real and the outcome must be uncertain. If you know in advance how the problem will be solved, why read the book? The problem becomes part of the plot only when it presents obstacles that a character must struggle against. The struggle may be physical, mental, emotional, moral or a combination of several factors and the character may or may not solve the problem. The circumstance that sets the struggle in motion is called the "inciting moment". The period of struggle is called the "rising action". The point where the character solves or fails to solve the problem is the "climax". ACTIVITY 1   At this point, you should have finished Book 1. You may be having trouble remembering which character is which...strange, unfamiliar names. But there is one character that unites the others:  Tower A. The Tower is a living, breathing part of the story. What does it look like? What does it smell like? How does it feel to be inside it? Do you know of any building like it? What does the building tell us about the other characters who live there? ACTIVITY 2   By now, you should have read Book 2. What was the "inciting moment"? There is now a common problem and each of the characters has his or her own private struggle. Describe the struggle of one of the main characters as it relates to the common problem.

ACTIVITY 3  Finish Book 3 before thinking about the stereotypes found in the book. Stereotypes are widely held but simplified images or ideas about a certain person or thing. Certain stereotypes are universal. How would you describe the typical teacher? Does Masterji fit the stereotype of a teacher? What image would you use to describe a land developer? Does Mr. Shah fit your image? How does Mary fit in with the stereotype of a servant?  ACTIVITY 4   After reading Book 4,  you should have realized that most of the main characters have resolved their own private struggle and are now united in a common fight against the teacher. How did they resolve their own personal struggle? Why are they united against Masterji?         ACTIVITY 5   Book 5 has given you a deeper insight to Masterji and Mary. Describe the teacher's relationship with his son. Is it similar to Mary's relationship with her son? Are the problems between parents and children universal problems?  There is a very subtle comment made by Masterji. He noticed that his son sneered with the same expression he saw on his wife's face. Do you think that the relationship between Masterji and his wife was as idyllic as he has made us think?
ACTIVITY 6   Book 6 has let us see how the common struggle against Masterji has continued but he also has his own internal struggle. Why does he want to stay in Tower A? What does he want? Book 6 also presented you with Mr. Parekh. Is there a universal stereotype for lawyers? Does Mr. Parekh fit the stereotype?
ACTIVITY 7   The title of Book 7 is the same as the title of the book: Last Man in Tower. Why is the title fitting for this chapter? ACTIVITY 8   Book 8 describes how the common struggle of the occupants of Tower A against the teacher continues. They have resolved their own initial struggle and are now united against the teacher in a common cause. How are they making Masterji's life miserable?  Based on the nature of the people involved, make a prediction as to the outcome of their war. ACTIVITY 9    The climax of the story is found in Book 9. Every problem has been resolved.  What was the climax? Was it what you expected? ACTIVITY 10  In the Epilogue, all loose threads are tied up. How did each of the characters react to the climax? What does that tell us about human nature? How did you react to the climax?