In-depth study of adolescent behaviour
Learning to Fly
Author: Shehani Gomes
Pages: 183
Perera Hussein
Publishing House
Rs. 600
-In-depth.jpg) Passing the stage of adolescence is not easy as it is a time when one
comes to terms with many aspects in life. It is a period where you mould
your personality and explore the confusions which seem to keep on
erupting from the tiniest incidents. It is a time when boys start noting
girls not merely as someone whom they would be embarrassed to be linked
with but rather in a more interesting light of attraction. Girls too
feel a tug towards the opposite sex and cannot help their eyes straying
towards the other side of the room or road where a group of school boys
are huddled in a group.
Simple phrases
This is the age when youngsters try to overcome confusions, emotions
and various other obstacles which seem to surface in their path. This is
the time when they test their wings and learn to fly to the adult
horizons of life.
No doubt young writer Shehani Gomes had drawn upon her own memory and
experiences when penning her debut novel 'Learning to Fly'. She had done
an exceptional job in lacing together a series of incidents through
simple phrases to paint pictures so vividly of the traumatic nature of
the adolescent years.
Beginning with the childhood game of making paper boats during the
rainy season, Shehani shifts the scenes from infancy days to the
awakening of romantic emotions, the hasty decision making, a brief
affair as a working girl, marriage and motherhood. The book explores the
relationship of a handful of adolescents like Kala, Dylan, Nadia and
Nirmalee.
Kala hankers after the death of her one-time best friend Sumathi
while Dylan has to undergo a dismal childhood under the roof of a step
father. On the other hand Nadia has everything she craves for, from
wealth to good looks.
Yet she could not come to terms with the fact that Dylan finds Kala a
more attractive candidate. Jealousy destroys Nadia's 'castle of
perfection'. Her world crumbles and she is destroyed by the mere fact of
having lost love.
Kala too begins to realize her attraction to Dylan and in a process
to ignore her feelings she takes some rash decisions in life. With
hormones out of control, she falls victim to the charm of an older man
and is seduced by him.
Young adults
Parents intervene and Kala loses her mother in the shameful process.
Kala, Dylan and Nadia are trapped in a web of incidents with the
alternative of making the best choice to continue with life.
'Learning to Fly' is not merely a string of incidents woven around a
few young adults. It is also a study of the mind. The story unravels the
gradual process of how Nadia plunges into darkness and gradually goes
over the edge. The conversations with the 'Mind Elves' and
'Conversationalists' highlight the stream of consciousness of the
characters and their loneliness. Though she can have anything her heart
desires she realizes that she had lost out on one of the most important
things in life: love.
Darker depths
Set in an urban backdrop, Gomes focuses on the Sri Lankan youth in a
novel manner and brings out a more realistic picture of them without any
qualms. She does not try to alter or suppress the real and modern
mind-set of the adolescents.
The story is beautifully narrated to the readers and is a page turner
as incidents follow each other, taking the reader back and forth to
clips from the children's school days to mature years.
It is not your everyday novel of 'candy floss' romance but brings the
unexplored the darker depths and features of the youth lifestyle. Short
sentence patterns in the form of thoughts, flashbacks and diary entries
drive home the psychology of the individuals.
'Learning to Fly' cannot be dismissed as a book you would merely
absorb and forget. Rather it remains etched in your mind, making you go
back again and again to ponder over the incidents.
It is a tale which tests one's character along with the challenges
that adolescences face as they mature with the years. It deals with
circumstances which take place before young adults are able to take off
to broader spheres.
'Learning to Fly' is a stimulating and inspiring novel which is truly
a joy to read.
- Ruwini Jayawardana
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