Misir Character Analysis in A House for Mr Biswas

A writer for the Sentinel whom Mr Biswas befriends in Arwacas. He persuades Mr Biswas to join the Aryans and, during a later visit, try his hand at writing short stories. Misir had sent his family away and begun writing stories, invariably about starving unemployed men who die in tragic circumstances.

Misir Character Timeline in A House for Mr Biswas

The timeline below shows where the character Misir appears in A House for Mr Biswas. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Education, Work, and Language Theme Icon

...Biswas continued his sign-writing as best he could until he struck up a friendship with Misir, who worked for the Trinidad Sentinel. Every day, he returned home unceremoniously, propped himself up... (full context)

Indeed, “Mr Biswas was almost an Aryan convert” because of his conversations with Misir, who told him to listen to the “purist” pundit Pankaj Rai. Mr Biswas did not... (full context)

Colonialism, Oppression, and Escape Theme Icon

...were now led by Shivlochan, a definite non-purist who barely spoke English and effectively let Misir set the group’s policy agenda: more education, less child marriage, more love marriages (Misir called... (full context)

Mr Biswas went to visit Misir, who had sent his family to his mother-in-law and begun focusing on writing short stories... (full context)

...Arwacas, but did not tell her about the debt—instead, he borrowed the needed money from Misir, who had begun offering loans, and ultimately spent more than half of his time in... (full context)

Mr Biswas also read and tried to write stories, but “lacked Misir’s tragic vision” and gave up everything he started. Other times, “he devoted himself to some... (full context)

Mr Biswas did not want to borrow money from Seth, Mrs Tulsi, or Misir, so he decided to try Ajodha, but found that he did not want to go,... (full context)

...wall in Green Vale and noticed the newspapers’ offices across the street. He remembered that Misir worked for the Sentinel, walked inside, and asked to speak with the editor, who referred... (full context)

...any experience working on a newspaper—Mr Biswas thought of the articles he never wrote for Misir and replied, “once or twice,” before listing some of the authors he read. The editor... (full context)