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The Henna Artist


The Henna Artist opens a door into a world that is at once lush and fascinating,...
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Should Lakshmi have tried to make her marriage work the second time around? Why or why not?

Created: 03/27/20

Replies: 16

Posted Mar. 27, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
davinamw

Join Date: 10/15/10

Posts: 3442

Should Lakshmi have tried to make her marriage work the second time around? Why or why not?

Should Lakshmi have tried to make her marriage work the second time around? Why or why not?


Posted Apr. 03, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
laurap

Join Date: 06/19/12

Posts: 407

RE: Should Lakshmi have tried to make her marriage work the second time around? Why or why not?

Had she been the same 17-year-old she was when she left, that might have worked. But by the time her ex became a reasonably human being, I think she was much too independent and used to operating on her own to return to a relationship with a more traditional Indian guy like Hari (even if he had gotten past beating women). Jay Kumar, on the other hand, offered some possibilities.


Posted Apr. 03, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
PinkLady

Join Date: 01/22/18

Posts: 187

RE: Should Lakshmi have tried to make her marriage work the second time around? Why or why not?

I dont think she should have tried. She didn't love her husband and
Going back would have felt like a failure. There was no reason and it would have kept her from moving forward.


Posted Apr. 04, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
scgirl

Join Date: 06/05/18

Posts: 245

RE: Should Lakshmi have tried to make her marriage work the second time around? Why or why not?

I don't think she should have tried to make the marriage work. While her husband had changed somewhat, there were still issues with him. Most of all she didn't respect or love him. She had come too far on her own to go back.


Posted Apr. 04, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
paulak

Join Date: 04/21/11

Posts: 264

RE: Should Lakshmi have tried to make her marriage work the second time around? Why or why not?

No, she was a different woman with a different life path. But both she and Hari were able to build a new and better relationship out of the disaster that was their marriage.


Posted Apr. 04, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
melanieb

Join Date: 08/30/14

Posts: 265

RE: Should Lakshmi have tried to make her marriage work the second time around? Why or why not?

No, I don’t think Lakshmi should have tried to make her marriage work a second time. Lakshmi had matured and was more confident by the time she met up again with Hari. She was more aware of what she wanted in her life and was in a better position to pursue her goals without depending on a man she didn’t love.


Posted Apr. 06, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
djcminor

Join Date: 03/14/19

Posts: 208

RE: Should Lakshmi have tried to make her marriage work the second time around? Why or why not?

Lakshmi has built a good life for herself. I am not so sure her husband is a changed man or that he would be if she went back to him or allowed him to live with her and Radha. He would still feel he is her ruler.


Posted Apr. 07, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
acstrine

Join Date: 02/06/17

Posts: 438

RE: Should Lakshmi have tried to make her marriage work the second time around? Why or why not?

Lakshmi begged her parents not to force her to marry in the first place. Her mother-in-law realized that her son was not good husband material. Lakshmi left the only life she knew with nothing but the knowledge her MIL shared with her. She was not the same person when they "found" each other again. I think that Lakshmi worked so hard to improve her life and find success that she did not have time to resolve her feelings or truly move forward with regard to her relationship with Hari. I based then on her reaction when Lakshmi realized Hari was in Jaipur- -it was obvious that she did not trust him and was still very angry- -maybe afraid of him. So angry and afraid that she made it clear to Hari that she planned to divorce him- -she WAS NOT going back!

Once Hari came to Jaipur he began to understand that he needed to live his life differently and behave in a way that honored his mother. I didn't feel like he was pushing Lakshmi to reunite with him. I think as part of his self-discovery, he realized that he had treated her horribly, and the best thing he could do to prove he was genuine in his desire to change was be respectful of Lakshmi. I see two people who rose above their beginnings, invested in themselves, and through their own growth chose to give back to others. I think they can be friends/colleagues who support one another as they heal others and continue to heal themselves.


Posted Apr. 09, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
evelyng

Join Date: 02/07/18

Posts: 49

RE: Should Lakshmi have tried to make her marriage work the second time around? Why or why not?

I don't feel that Lakshmi should have tried to make her marriage work for a second time around. She had changed and become much stronger and independent and had developed into a stronger woman. Her husband had undergone his own changes, but the servitude that would have been required in the marriage situation would have not allowed Lakshmi to progress and grow towards her own individual happiness. Somethings once lost are gone forever...Lakshmi's marriage was lost for good reason.


Posted Apr. 12, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
beverlyj

Join Date: 12/22/11

Posts: 138

RE: Should Lakshmi have tried to make her marriage work the second time around? Why or why not?

No, I do not think that Lakshmi should have tried to make her marriage work the second time.
Her husband was abusive to her, too much time had passed since she first left.
And yes, because he did a good deed by bringing her sister to Lakshmi - does that mean that he was a good person for Lakshmi.


Posted Apr. 12, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
dorothyh

Join Date: 01/23/15

Posts: 225

RE: Should Lakshmi have tried to make her marriage work the second time around? Why or why not?

No,once a beater usually a beater. Why chance it.


Posted Apr. 14, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
dorothyl

Join Date: 04/15/12

Posts: 146

RE: Should Lakshmi have tried to make her marriage work the second time around? Why or why not?

No I don't think so. There was so much pain she endured that I think it would be impossible to move on with him. She needs a partner now like Kumar who values her and the knowledge she has to help and empower other women


Posted Apr. 14, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
cindyb

Join Date: 04/14/20

Posts: 110

RE: Should Lakshmi have tried to make her marriage work the second time around? Why or why not?

Idon’t feel Lakshmi should try to make her marriage work a second time, She never loved him and there were too many bad memories associated with her marriage.


Posted Apr. 15, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
shirleyp

Join Date: 03/16/14

Posts: 16

RE: Should Lakshmi have tried to make her marriage work the second time around? Why or why not?

No, she was smart not to relent and believe that anything would be different the second time around. She had made great strides in her life and though her husband seemed to have changed, he probably would have become resentful of her work and freedom, thereby becoming frustrated and resorted to the violence he had shown her in the past.


Posted Apr. 17, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
ilenem

Join Date: 04/17/19

Posts: 32

RE: Should Lakshmi have tried to make her marriage work the second time around? Why or why not?

No. Lakshmi has struggled to evolve into the woman that she is today. She is independent and likes it that way. There is no room in her new life for her husband.


Posted Apr. 20, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
djbshirley

Join Date: 01/05/20

Posts: 6

RE: Should Lakshmi have tried to make her marriage work the second time around? Why or why not?

No! She did not love him and he was awful to her. Why go back to someone you never loved just because?! She left to have a better life, which did happened. It was nice he brought her sister to her but that was for his own benefit.


Posted Apr. 25, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
beckys

Join Date: 08/12/16

Posts: 233

RE: Should Lakshmi have tried to make her marriage work the second time around? Why or why not?

At one time in the story, I thought that might be a possibility. It seemed like Hari had made some changes in his life and had become a better person that what he once was, but I dont think you can ever go back. They had both changed as they became older and though they may have both become more mature and changed for the better, I dont think Lakshmi could have ever forgotten the way he had treated her in her life before, and I don't think he could have ever forgotten that she had not wanted his children when they were married. It was time for both of them to move forward.


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