Book Review: Hitchhiker, Vinod George Joseph

Ebenezer, the protagonist in Hitchhiker, is born into a family that was originally Hindu, but which later converted into Christianity. He appears to be a hardworking person who aspires to study in a good engineering college. He is born into a very loving family. This is the story of a studious boy who faces misfortunes at a young age, but still battles on. Amidst all this he falls in love with a girl, Gayathri, from a higher caste family. Whenever he comes to a crossroads he usually takes the easy path. But towards the end of the book, he realizes the importance of listening to his heart.

The author has shown various tactics which the people undertake so as to bring more followers within the ambit of their religions. The main story is that of Ebenezer but the author has cleverly weaved in various occurrences external to Ebenezer which ultimately have an impact on his life. Hitchhiker appears to be an ordinary story at first blush, but it is extraordinarily ordinary.

This book touches not only on contemporary social issues but also on philosophical issues. The author has brought out the problems regarding conversions, admissions based on reservations, working of minority institutions etc. Hitchhiker also touches on issues like hype about the board exams and prevailing societal issues like male favoritism, high incidence of learning using guides over text books, gossip relating to TV serials etc.

By going through it just as a story, the reader gets to experience the life of a convert; converts who are promised greener pastures by converting but who still undergo discrimination. The protagonist, Ebenezer, has dreams and aspirations like any other boy of his age. Stark differences come to the fore when he is faced with admission to a college or when applying for a job.

Regarding the literary aspect, the author Vinod George Joseph deserves to be lauded for his simple yet candid portrait. He stands apart due to his lucid style of writing which has brilliantly captured the events, without interspersing them with a bias. This leaves readers adequate room for his or her own prejudices regarding various issues which Ebenezer faces.

Going on to a more detailed inspection of Hitchhiker, it talks about compromises. Ebenezer sacrifices his dreams for his short term gains. He goes on doing this until the last page of the book, where he decides not to part with his soul again. The ending has been superbly done. When I finished reading the whole book, I knew that the author had made a very strong point in a very simple manner.

On the whole, Hitchhiker is certainly a gratifying read!

[Editor's Note: Reviews of Hitchhiker by Sujatha Bagal and Shantanu Dutta are also available on Desicritics.]