The novel State of Wonder, by Ann Patchett, is a compelling novel that’ll stir up a lot of questions for readers. The main character, Marina Singh, is sent to Brazil to investigate the progression of Dr. Swenson’s malaria drug, as well as the death of a coworker. What Marina finds instead is a confusion of ethics, morality, and humanity that forces her to consider her own positions and ask the readers to do the same. When Marina makes it into the Amazon, she is shocked to find out that doctor Swenson is not only working on a Malaria drug but is working on a fertility drug that is causing the women of the Lakashi tribe to have children into their seventies. Marina faces struggles with the ethical and moral questions that arise from doing research on native cultures. These women are poked and prodded daily to help researchers understand this wonder. Marina recognizes that if they were back in America everything they are doing would be unethical. Marina’s time with the Lakashi tribe teaches her that sometimes medical interventions should not be used to improve on nature, and that simply because something can be done, doesn’t mean it should be.
Marina is the daughter of a white mother and an Indian father. As someone with darker skin living in Minnesota, she is often asked, “Where are you from?” While in Brazil, a country she has no connection to, she feels more included due to the color of her skin. Her darker skin enabled her to pass for Brazilian, allowing her to avoid the question, “Where are you from?” This reminded me of the concept of othering. Due to Marina’s darker complexion, people see her as being “other” and don’t believe that she is American.
Later in the book, white tourists confuse Marina as one of the Jinta Indians. They take photos of her and want her to dance like the other tribe members. After this experience, Marina notices the considerable impact tourism has on the behavior of the tribe, the tribe members cater to the tourist, making trinkets and crafts, and transforming their traditional ceremonial dances into public entertainment. Rather than having an authentic encounter with another culture, these tourists are given what they want, a spectacle, and a few exotic pictures they can show to their friends back home. It seems that Marina and Jamaica Kincaid have similar feelings towards tourists. Kincaid too feels that tourists are ignorant to the lives of natives. Overall, the novel does a great job at bringing up instances of injustice, causing the reader to evaluate their morals.