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Reef by Romesh Gunesekera: A Comprehensive Study Guide

Dwight Blair

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Published in Summary Study Guide Reef By Romesh Gunesekera

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Romesh Gunesekera's novel Reef (1994) is a captivating work of postcolonial literature that explores themes of identity, memory, and the complexities of Sri Lankan history. This study guide provides a comprehensive overview of the novel, including a summary, character analysis, plot analysis, and discussion of major themes.

Summary & Study Guide Reef by Romesh Gunesekera

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Language	:	English
File size	:	114 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Print length	:	37 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

Summary

Reef is set in the aftermath of the Sri Lankan Civil War in the 1980s. The novel follows the story of Donatella Rodrigo, a young woman who travels to the island nation to visit her dying grandfather. Donatella is a British citizen of Sri Lankan descent, and her return to her ancestral homeland triggers a journey of self-discovery and reconciliation.

As Donatella explores her grandfather's past, she uncovers the complexities of Sri Lankan history and the ways in which it has shaped her own identity. She learns about the British colonization of Sri Lanka, the rise of nationalism, and the outbreak of the civil war. Through her grandfather's stories and her own experiences, Donatella comes to understand the resilience and suffering of the Sri Lankan people.

Characters

Donatella Rodrigo is the protagonist of the novel. She is a young woman who is struggling to find her place in the world. She is caught between two cultures, British and Sri Lankan, and she feels a sense of displacement in both. Her journey to Sri Lanka is a search for identity and belonging.

Mr. Rodrigo is Donatella's grandfather. He is a retired schoolteacher who has witnessed the rise and fall of Sri Lanka. He is a wise and compassionate man, and he plays a central role in Donatella's self-discovery.

Ravi is a young man who Donatella meets in Sri Lanka. He is a member of the Tamil Tigers, a separatist group fighting for an independent Tamil state. Ravi is a complex and contradictory character, and he represents the violence and despair of the civil war.

Plot Analysis

The plot of Reef is divided into three parts. The first part introduces Donatella and her journey to Sri Lanka. The second part focuses on her grandfather's stories and her exploration of Sri Lankan history. The third part brings the novel to a climax as Donatella confronts the realities of the civil war and her own place in it.

The novel is told in a non-linear fashion, with Donatella's present-day experiences interwoven with flashbacks to her grandfather's past. This structure creates a sense of timelessness and suggests that the past and present are inextricably linked.

Themes

Reef explores a number of complex themes, including:

Identity: Donatella's journey to Sri Lanka is a search for identity. She is trying to understand who she is and where she belongs. Her experiences in Sri Lanka force her to confront her own prejudices and assumptions about her culture and heritage.

Memory: Reef is a novel about memory and the ways in which it shapes our understanding of the past and present. Donatella's grandfather's stories provide a window into the history of Sri Lanka. Through these stories, Donatella comes to understand the complexities of her own family history and the ways in which it has been shaped by the forces of colonialism and war.

War: The Sri Lankan Civil War is a central theme of Reef. Donatella's experiences in Sri Lanka force her to confront the realities of war and its devastating impact on human lives. The novel does not offer any easy answers to the problem of war, but it does provide a powerful and moving account of its human cost.

Reef is a powerful and moving novel that explores complex themes of identity, memory, and war. The novel's rich characters, vivid imagery, and compelling story make it a must-read for anyone interested in postcolonial literature, Sri Lankan history, or the human condition.

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