Compassion

There are many negative human characteristics. Ignorance, greed, lust, pride, contempt, all of these traits darken the reality of humanity. However, there are other characteristics that overcome and conquer the evils of humanity. Compassion is a human quality that can break through the darkness shedding hope in a world that often appears wicked.

Throughout history there have been times of iniquity, events in history that seem to drag humanity through a worldly hell. The slave trade in America was one such time, however there were individuals that overcame and acted compassionately. Harriet Tubman was a member of the Underground Railroad, and lead over thirteen missions freeing over seventy slaves. Tubman’s actions were born from a deep compassion for those still in slavery. She felt compelled to alleviate the pain of others and acted accordingly.

In Bharati Mukherjee’s book, Jasmine, the compassion of one character saves the life of another. Jasmine, the main character, is an Indian illegal immigrant who comes to America on a trawler. Once she arrives in America the sea captain rapes her and leaves her in bad physical shape. Jasmine wants to get to Tampa but doesn’t know anything about America’s geography. She just starts walking.

She then meets Lillian Gordon, a Good Samaritan who takes her in. Jasmine shares that, “I didn’t tell Mrs. Gordon what she’d rescued me from.”(131) Mrs. Gordon is a character who has immense compassion, “She wasn’t a missionary dispensing new visions and stamping out the old; she was a facilitator who made possible the lives of absolute ordinariness that we ached for.” (131) Mrs. Gordon helps refugees seek what the most desire, normal lives.

Mrs. Gordon accomplishes this in several ways. She gives Jasmine, “her daughter’s high-school clothes,” (132) and teaches her how to “walk American,” (132) to help her blend in. She also educates Jasmine on how to, “cook hamburgers and roasts, to clean toilets with cleansers that smelled sweeter than flowers…” (134) Mrs. Gordon does this to help enable Jasmine to find a job. After a while Jasmine is ready to move on and “[Mrs. Gordon] put [her] on a Greyhound bus,” (134) to New York City.

However, Mrs. Gordon’s compassionate actions do not go unnoticed. Later she is sent to jail for her actions. Mrs. Gordon exemplifies true compassion. She is unconcerned for her own well being and helps those in need. She pays the price and suffers as a martyr.  She was a small flame of hope snuffed out by society’s feelings toward those who help illegal immigrants.

Yet, her compassion is not forgotten. Jasmine sends in a letter of support while her case is being deliberated it is “ruled inadmissible.”(136) In the letter she shares that Mrs. Gordon, “saved my life, after others had tried to end it.” (137) Mrs. Gordon’s compassion enables Jasmine to find job and start as normal of a life as she can.

 Mrs. Gordon’s compassion saves Jasmine’s lives. Mukherjee shows the difference one person can make. It is important not only to appreciate such compassion in a fictional book, but also in the real world. Historical figures such as Harriet Tubman who risked so much in order to help others. It is encouraging to here stories about people rising against the evils of humanity.