Traveler's Prelude: A Little Paperwork
             This early chapter in the book deals with many of the issues that were a cultural shock to Naipaul at first. This whole chapter is basically a chase after two bottles of liquor that had been confiscated from Naipaul upon arrival; here we can really see the difference between Indian and western ways of thinking and performing tasks. In this chapter India is introduced to Naipaul as he had never seen it before, not his grandfather's stories or his own imagination but the actual country and culture which are much less glamorous.
             One of the most important things Naipaul is trying to show us in this chapter is the Indian "system". India has a different way of functioning, a different method of getting things done. This way appears long and cumbersome to us, who are not used to it but for Indians it is completely normal, and they handle it all very calmly. All the clerks for example are very patient with Naipaul "he was sympathetic" "he looked up at me and his manner softened, here, let me write it down for you , I will also give you your code number" " he showed no surprise, no displeasure at being disturbed" "you go , he said sympathetically, I wait! "
             A large part of this Indian system is the caste system , in which each person has his or her level of nobility and his or her very specified job. They do this specific job only, their pride lies in mastering this small task and performing it and it alone as best as they can. Each person goes about doing their job, never helping each other out and barley communicating or working together. We can see a good example of this towards the end of the chapter when a women faints. Naipaul shouts for water but no one would get it because it is simply not their job "water I cried to the male clerk " "the male clerk returned waterless" "I should have known bette...