The Covenant of Water — Abraham Verghese

Themes

• The Caste System: A significant theme in this novel is the caste system, particularly its impact on relationships and societal order. The book showcases the deep roots of this system, portraying it as an almost natural law, and explores the pain it causes through forced segregation. Notably, it raises questions about the obligations of landowners to those considered lower in the caste system.
• Colonization and Oppression: The book explores the complexities of colonization and the role of oppression in colonized societies, using the character of Dr. Digby Kilgour to represent the dual role of oppressed in one society and oppressor in another.
• Family Legacy and Curse: Another significant theme is family legacy, intertwined with a mysterious curse associated with water. The exploration of this theme brings suspense and drama into the storyline, raising questions about inheritance and fate.
• Power of the Physical Body: The physical body is portrayed as a vessel of experience, carrying both vulnerability and resilience. The author emphasizes the authority of the body over emotional turmoil, using his medical knowledge to illuminate the realities of physical suffering and survival.
• Connectedness: The concept of connectedness is a recurring theme in the novel. The idea that "all water is connected" symbolizes the interconnectedness of people and their shared experiences. This theme extends to the idea of family, not just through blood relations but through shared experiences and human connection.
• Community and Belonging: The novel poses a profound question about the possibility of being vulnerable, wounded, yet still necessary and loved. This theme centers around the idea of community and belonging, exploring the value of each individual within a community, regardless of their circumstances.
• The Condition: The Condition is a recurring puzzle in the novel that threads together different storylines. Although not explicitly defined in the reviews, this theme seems to encompass familial connections, medical conditions, and perhaps even broader societal conditions.
• Everyday Life: The book illustrates the beauty of everyday life, offering intimate glimpses into characters' routines, foods, and interactions. This theme grounds the novel in realism, providing relatable context for the more dramatic elements of the storyline.
• Landscape and Nature: The rich descriptions of the south Indian landscape, including the weather, flora, and geography, become a significant theme in the book. These descriptions seem to act as metaphors for societal and personal elements, like caste and privilege, connecting people to their natural surroundings.

Summary

"The Covenant of Water" by Abraham Verghese is an expansive, multi-generational epic set in India from 1900 to 1977, detailing the lives of a Malayali family living in a segregated, colonized society. The narrative begins with a 12-year-old girl, Big Ammachi, being wed to a 40-year-old widower. As she matures into her role as a wife and mother, she grapples with the complexities of India's caste system, particularly as it impacts her son Philipose's friendship with Joppan, a boy from the landless caste of pulayan.

Meanwhile, in Scotland, a character named Dr. Digby Kilgour leaves his homeland for India to escape his own problems, only to find himself caught in an affair with a colleague's wife and accused of a fatal medical error. His story ultimately intertwines with Big Ammachi's family in surprising ways.

As India moves towards independence, Big Ammachi's granddaughter enters medical school, seeking to uncover the root of a family curse tied to water. Multiple plotlines converge through a series of coincidences and sudden incidents, and while characters remain relatively static, they accumulate and shoulder new experiences.

The story grapples with questions of community and belonging, underscoring the fragility and necessity of love amidst escalating political tensions. A common thread throughout is "The Condition", an inherited medical mystery that the characters are attempting to solve, which binds the family narrative together.

This engrossing novel focuses not only on emotional dynamics but also on biological realities such as developmental challenges, incurable afflictions, and hereditary diseases. Much of the narrative’s authority lies in the characters' physical bodies and how they are shaped by life's vicissitudes. In the end, the novel contemplates the idea of human interconnectedness, reminding readers that all actions have repercussions, and no one stands alone.