The Buddha of Suburbia: Part 1, Chapter 8 Summary & Analysis

Dad, yelling, asks Karim how he managed to fail all his exams. Karim insists it's easy when you don't show up, and tells Dad that he's too disturbed by the divorce to study. After their fight, Dad ignores Karim, though Karim remains at Dad and Eva's house so he can avoid Changez. He doesn't understand why Dad takes his failing so personally, and he thinks that Dad sees him as an extension of himself.

One day, Karim opens the door to Ted, tools in hand. Eva had heard from Dad that Ted was a builder, and made him an offer to remodel her house. Ted jumped at the opportunity to be close to Dad and Eva, though Jean is incensed about it. She agreed to let Ted work for Eva on the condition that Ted tells her everything at the end of the day. Karim is relieved to have hard labor to distract him, and he finds working with Eva and Ted refreshing. They often have to wait for Eva to meditate on the exact shape of a room, and they do yoga during lunch.

Finally, Ted finishes the house. Karim often wonders what Ted tells Jean at the end of each night, and wonders how Ted talks about all the fun they have and the romance between Dad and Eva. He says that they often don't get to see too much of the romance as Dad and Eva tend to go out at night to see plays. Shadwell, Eva's old friend, is beginning to make it big, and he invites Eva and Dad to dinner parties. When they go out, Karim wanders around the house, sometimes lying in Charlie's attic wondering what he's up to. When Dad and Eva return, Karim listens to them recount gossip and discuss the play.

Karim says that Ted must've talked about money, a subject that bothers even him. Eva buys things with little regard for whether or not she can afford them. She tells Karim that she'll draw money to her when they need it, though Karim thinks they're in dire need of it now. Dad agrees with Eva but begins doing "guru gigs" again, which Eva now charges people to attend. She arranges for Dad to have an interview with a paper that once got Charlie on the front page, and Dad revels in his newfound fame.

Karim watches the romance between Dad and Eva grow. When he watches them speak, he realizes the words themselves don't matter; they're just verbal caresses. He begins developing his own theories on love, namely that their love seems selfish as it came at the expense of Mum. Karim can't fathom how Dad was able to do it, but takes heart that Dad seems to regret his choice. Once Dad tells Eva he feels like a criminal, and Eva flies into a wounded rage.

Eva decides to sell her house and move to London, and Karim suspects she wants to try to distract Dad from his misery about Mum. It's a futile attempt; Karim recounts being in the car with them one day and watching Dad burst into tears because he thought he saw Mum go into a shop alone, and he doesn't want her to be alone. Karim also realizes that Eva wants to be close to Charlie, who only rarely visits. He lives a transient life and occasionally appears in the kitchen in the morning. Dad and Eva go to all his gigs.

As Dad and Karim pack Charlie's attic, they discuss that Charlie's problem is that his band doesn't have an original sound. Though Eva insists that Charlie is pure talent, Karim believes that Charlie only has potential—his music is horrible—and can charm people into appreciating him for his potential. Karim wonders how this magical charm even works, as Charlie can get people to agree to things without even asking. He begins to understand that Charlie does this by making people marvel at themselves, and Karim takes notes.

Karim harbors a desire to play rhythm guitar with Charlie's band, Mustn't Grumble. When he brings it up to Charlie, Charlie laughs but gives Karim a job ferrying equipment to and from gigs. One night, as Karim loads the van, Charlie walks past with a girl, insults Karim, and instructs him to bring acid to his dressing room. Karim turns on Charlie and asks what the hurry is, since Charlie isn't going anywhere with his band or as an individual. Charlie is disconcerted, and Karim continues to tell Charlie that he's not talented, just pretty. Charlie thinks for a moment and then admits he's breaking up the band, and what Karim said isn't relevant.

At night, Karim fantasizes about London and thinks about the particular sound of London. He realizes he wants to attend the parties, do all the drugs on offer, and have sex as much as he can. Karim tells the reader he's twenty and ready for anything.