Glowing screens, increasingly foldable, portable, companionable, anticipating any possible question the human brain might generate. Containing more information than anyone has need for. So much of it, she observes, is designed to eliminate mystery, to minimize surprise. There are maps to indicate where one is going, images of hotel rooms one might stay in. The delayed status of a plane one need not rush to board. Links to people, famous or anonymous—people one might reunite with, or fall in love with, or hire for a job. A revolutionary concept, already taken for granted. Citizens of the internet dwell free from hierarchy. There is room for everyone, given that there are no spatial constraints.

From “The Lowland,” by Jhumpa Lahiri

Jhumpa Lahiri writes with the elegance of the classical British authors and the conciseness of the American novelists. A unique mixture of the old and the new continent seasoned with the zestful spices of Indian literature.   Her depiction of the Indian landscape and cityscape, the different customs, the poverty and the fight for a fair society come to life in her novel.  The contrast with the Western world enriches her narrative. In this snippet, Lahiri expresses the awe-inspiring surprise that anyone initially feels when exposed to the internet. She concludes:  “A revolutionary concept, already taken for granted. Citizens of the internet dwell free from hierarchy. There is room for everyone, given that there are no spatial constraints.”  This freedom must prevail.  The main challenge lies in setting apart truth from falsehood, reality from myth, and jewel from junk.