S for Small Great Things (2022 A-Z)

 

“I gave explicit orders that she cannot touch my baby,” he roars.

“Bharadwaj Ji, your baby was cyanotic, he could have died,” I reason. Next to me, Dr. Ajola is silent.

“A better fate than being saved by a Dalit,” he scoffs. I watch the veins on his neck bulge, rage evident on his face. A second later, he clutches his heart as he falls. Dr. Ajola rushes to his aid. I don’t.

“I need help, or he will die,” she says.

“A better fate than being saved by a Dalit,” I shrug. She took the Hippocratic Oath. I didn’t.

---

It is no secret that race has always been a topic of debate, moral dilemma, and a powerful political tool of control. It spares no country. In Small Great Things, Jodi Picoult, one of my favourite authors, brings to the forefront the stark racism rampant in the country. While the discrimination is at times in-your-face obvious, at times it is also stunning in its subtlety. This thought-provoking book leaves you with a lot to discuss and ruminate over. Racism in any form is that white elephant in the room which needs to be addressed, however there are no easy solutions.

I have written this 100-word flash fiction for the 2022 Edition of the Blogging A-Z Challenge, a blogging event held every April. Click here to read more on the challenge! My chosen theme for this year is flash fiction driven book recommendations. Even if you aren’t a book reader, you might enjoy the flash fiction. And if you’re participating as well, do leave your blog site in the comments!