Behind The Beautiful Forevers explores the story of 3 main characters ; Abdul, Asha and Sunil. They all live in Mumbai, India, in a large, packed, slum, Annawadi (335 huts housing more than 3 thousand people), next door to the more modern, richer Mumbai International Airport (Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport).The massive slum is situated next to a sewage lake, but also surrounded by luxury, western hotels, in which inhabitants of Annawadi envy. Behind The Beautiful Forevers explores the story of the less fortunate and vast widespread of poverty in BRIC countries such as Brazil or India.
Asha was an outsider, she was born in a village in the North of India. Asha sees Annawadi purely as a place to use for her business, she could be seen as having a cold heart, as she has only one motive in life, which it is to gain money clearly explained when “…she thought about money most of the time…”. Asha doesn’t mind if she destroys someone’s life and family, she will have to get her money either way. Asha would also scam her fellow Annawadians, although she knows the situation that other Annawadians are in ‘…she advised her sister “is that you take money from the family of the girl, but never say who is asking for money. Tell them the police are asking for it.” She has no emotional or (extended) familial connections in Annawadi, and can be hated by some people, as she has no warmness towards certain people. This is seen when it’s said “… Annawadians called her squint behind her back.”. Asha is very greedy and selfish and blames her daughter for being unlike her and being ‘sentimental’.
Abdul has a business as well, buying garbage from other people from the slum who collect garbage. He then sells the scrap to a nearby recycling factory. Abdul aspires one day to be richer and living a lavish life, but still is grateful for what he has, even though he doesn’t have much.
Sunil is the youngest and the most naive one. He hasn’t had much experience in the world, but from what he has got, has acquired the idea that world is very cruel and selfish. That people think for themselves and themselves only. He lived in an orphanage run by nuns, and the orphans weren’t treated or taken care of properly. It is quoted that the orphans only received ice cream only when the news photographers came, to make it seem that the orphans were living a good life, when in fact they weren’t.
Abdul is introduced into the story negatively, when he his being chased by the police for allegedly burning a mysterious character with the name of “The One Leg”. The story then transits to when Abdul wakes up with “…minimal whining…”, to go to work, as he is the main breadwinner in his family. “Besides, this was the gentle- going hour in which he hated Annawadi least.” This shows that Abdul isn’t living the life and really hates Annawadi. He gets up early, which makes the circumstance better for him somehow, as “…he hates Annawadi the least.” Abdul doesn’t complain about his awful life, but still aspires to be a rich, business man.He doesn’t let his current situation to stop his strive for his future.
Asha is then brought into the story. From the very start, she is seen to have a very powerful character and very focused on a certain goal. When she is first introduced, she was focused on being the unofficial “Slum Lord”. The current Slum Lord, Robert “..lost his taste for power…”, which motivates Asha to takeover the power to be the Slum Lord ” …just as she was discovering her own. (power)”. Throughout, she is thoroughly illustrated as selfish and greedy, with a drive for money. She is soon seen as a woman with a greater value for power and money than kindness, she is centred around herself. Asha sees Annawadi as a first step for her business, and doesn’t have feelings or ‘(extended) familial connections’ with anyone from the slum. Annawadi could be seen as trial for Asha’s business, which is to give advice to (more vulnerable) women. Asha also gets her income form scamming her fellow Annawadians.
Sunil is lastly introduced into the story. Sunil is the youngest (10 years of age), smallest and most naive of the previous characters. Sunil hasn’t had a lot of experience of the world, or how it works. Sunil has a very narrow outlook and only knows to survive. Sunil has though, acquired that Annawadi (or the world) is a selfish and greedy environment. “Sunil alone watched out for Sunita…” Sunil, at the young age of 10 has to take care of his little sister, even when their father is available, so this is a prime example for Sunil, as even his own father doesn’t care about his two young, vulnerable children.
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