Premise: The Years on Her Ears by Satyajit Amin reviewed by Pranvi Khare

The Years on Her Ears by Satyajit Amin 

Reviewed by Pranvi Khare

In Indian media, the mother-in-law is often portrayed as a stifling woman, not allowing the daughter-in-law to do as she pleases and an evil figure in the relationship between the wife and husband. So it was refreshing to see the mother-in-law in ‘The Years on Her Ears’ portrayed as a friendly, maternal woman who has what seems to be a great bond with her daughter-in-law. What really caught my attention about the story is the subtle journey of the persona – from her child-like attraction to the material goods, the earrings, to her genuine interest in the stories and the significance behind the earrings. 

Something to note is the fact that this story is so easy to relate to, because nothing is specific – not the location of the story, the name of any of the characters, or the type of the earrings. This makes the story extremely engaging to read because it allows the audience to connect to the story and interpret it in their own manner. It’s almost like a rite of passage and doesn’t seem forced when the mother-law gives her earrings to her daughter-in-law. I love the way the story progresses because it doesn’t seem to be forced in any way. 

When originally what fascinated the protagonist were the dangling beautiful earrings, in the end, it is the simple diamond earrings of her mother-in-law that she chooses to wear. This in a way creates a full circle, as while her mother-in-law wore the burden of others (as implied by ‘Don’t worry, I won't feel bad if you don't wear all of them.’ She said this with a smile and an airiness that felt like relief, like she wished someone had said the same to her many years ago.’), The protagonist wears the earrings because they connect her to her mother-in-law. 

This is an extremely well written short story, that is in equal parts meaningful and beautiful. 

Read Satyajit Amin’s ‘The Years on Her Ears’ in Out of Print 41, December 2019.

Reviewer Pranvi Khare interned with Out of Print during the development of Out of Print 45.

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