《幽黯國度》---“An Area of Darkness ”is written by V.S. Naipaul.  When reading this a-year traveling journal in India, you would feel the strugglings between different heritage and culture shocks. 

          Basically, V.S. Naipaul is an Indian  from 千里達, located somewhere in the Carribean Sea.  He spent a whole year (1962-1963) traveling around India.   What he saw there gave him a big shock.  It seems to me, at the time, Naipaul was suffering much from his journey.  

         Back in the early sixties of last century, people in India still lived in proverty.  The author described lots of lousy living environments that you could hardly imagine during the time, such as people would pee and poo wherever they wanted. They just did it no matter it was the public beach or beside the railway.  They simply lacked of the concept of hygiene or sanitation.  He saw people living backwardly.  And the author hated this very much. As a matter of fact, you can say he felt shame of it for the very situation represented his own heritage. 

        Originally, he had wished to visit his mother land to fulfill his desire of being one of them, but what he got was disappointment after all.  After his finding the root, he found out that he belonged  nowhere.  During 1964, he had moved to live in Landon for many years.  He traveled to India and hoped to find something important from his grandfather's country.  For instance, something he could feel respectful or honorable.   Instead, he saw dirty, uncivilized people doing something strangely.

         But from my view of point, I thought Naipaul was over critical toward India at that time.  He came from the western world, and received western education.  Compared to the western society, Indians had no chance to compete with them.  Although, it had been colonized by the Great Britian for some time, basically, India was a very old country. She had her own values, her own religions.  Thus, it created a totally different speceies from the British.  It was really unfair for Naipaul to compare these two countries with one standard.

        Actually, from what I have read, I would say Naipaul thought more like an English than an Indian from 千里達.  Although among the three countries, India, Britian, and 千里達, obviously, he  loved 千里達 the most and despised and saw India as the worst. He talked like a British and he himself probably hadn't noticed yet. 

        As for India this subjecct, he worte three books about this country. And "An Area of Darkness" is the first one finished during 1962 to 1964, and was published in 1964.

       I really hope his second and third books about India have a better angle for India.  However, to be honest, "An Area of Darkness" still respresents a good observation of India during the period from 1962 to 1963.  An very honest traveling journal it is.  It carved the author's own soul within the pages.  Read it and have some thought for yourself.