Master storyteller Win Pe uses the framework of everyday life in Burma as a foundation for exploring the darker side of human nature

Barafi and Other Stories, by Win Pe, Khit Pyaing Publishing House, 2006. P434.

The “barafi” in the title of Win Pe’s popular collection of short stories refers to an Indian cake made with sweet milk. Indeed, most of these stories address subject matter that, o­n the surface, appears rather mundane—like cake or a new pair of eyeglasses. Careful readers, though, will discover a rich subtext at work that requires considerable reflection to appreciate the subtleties of Win Pe’s stories.

This collection, published in Burmese in 2006, brings together 39 of Win Pe’s best-known short stories written between 1989 and 2006. Several have appeared previously in Burmese language journals. Three of the stories (“The Day the Weather Broke,” “A Pair of Specs” and “The Middle of May”) were translated into English and published in Inked Over, Ripped Out (1994) by Anna J Allot.

Win Pe writes about much more than daily life in contemporary Burma. He blends elements of fantasy and fairy tale to address the subject of human nature, thereby speaking to his readers o­n a deeper, inner level. The state of Burma’s censorship laws precludes overtly political or socially activist themes, but in many instances such themes can be drawn—with or without the author’s intent—from the text.

The title story “Barafi” tells of a man who cherishes the traditional Indian snack—popular in upper Burma—so much that he hopes, o­n his deathbed, to be able to eat it o­ne last time. He marries a woman wealthy enough to provide him with barafi every day. When he is later trampled by an elephant and lies dying in the jungle, he thinks about his beloved snack, which has consumed his thoughts for most of his life. In his final moments, he realizes that the loss of barafi is not so tragic, and he dies peacefully.

In “Booze for Chetkyi,” a man receives a visit from a much-respected village teacher, who asks for an alcoholic beverage. Chetkyi can o­nly offer him water from an empty liquor bottle. After consuming most of the water, the teacher shows signs of drunkenness and becomes verbally abusive towards his host before making his unsteady way home. Curious about the teacher’s behavior, Chetkyi drinks the rest of the water from the bottle. He, too, becomes drunk and gets into a fight with his wife.

Perhaps Win Pe’s best-known story, “A Pair of Specs,” is considered a masterpiece of contemporary Burmese short fiction, drawing comparisons to the works of Russian author Anton Chekhov, who is much beloved by Burmese writers. The story tells of a short-sighted young man, Maung Chu, who gives money to an elder friend, Uncle Thein, to purchase a new pair of eyeglasses. From the moment Uncle Thein delivers the glasses, he takes every opportunity to mention the great service he has rendered to Maung Chu. Uncle Thein makes increasingly irritating claims o­n Maung Chu’s gratitude. In a final act of exasperation, Maung Chu throws the eyeglasses to the ground and smashes them with his foot, saying that he never wants to see Uncle Thein again.

In an introductory note to the English translation of three of Win Pe’s stories, Anna J Allot notes that the original publication of “A Pair of Specs” (in the August 1989 edition of the Burmese language journal Shwe-amyu-te) featured an illustration of a large foot smashing a pair of glasses and could be read as an indictment of Burma’s ruling military government. She writes: “It is o­nly o­n a second reading that it strikes o­ne as a reflection of the way that the SLORC [State Law and Order Restoration Council, since renamed the State Peace and Development Council] incessantly claims to have saved Burma from disintegration (in 1988), and to have merited the undying gratitude of the people.”

Win Pe’s stories have often been praised for their humorous exploration of the human condition. Amid the humor, however, critics have discovered darker themes. As o­ne Burmese critic, paraphrased in Anna J Allot’s introduction to Win Pe’s stories in Inked Over, Ripped Out puts it, “from his deceptively simple, often comic narratives there emerge powerful images of the greed, anger and stupidity of human life.”

Win Pe now lives in exile in the US. In addition to writing, he has worked as a cartoonist, filmmaker, gem trader, school administrator and artist. Widely read in Burma, Win Pe’s works have yet to reach a broader audience outside the country. Perhaps more translations of his works into English will extend his influence and make greater numbers of readers aware of his gifts as a thoughtful and compelling storyteller.