Casual drug and alcohol use shows up constantly in the pages of Shantaram. The fact that a seedy bar is the characters' favorite hangout doesn't really help matters, and the abundance of marihuana (marijuana) cigarettes in Bombay is just part of the background. But drugs also have a more sinister role to play in the novel, too. Lin, the narrator, is driven to armed robbery because of his heroin addiction, and when life gets too hard for him he nearly loses himself to addiction. Fortunately his friends help him to kick the habit, but the temptation never really goes away.
Questions About Drugs & Alcohol
- What do you make of the rampant hashish and marihuana use in the novel? How is it different from Lin's use of heroin?
- Why does Lin decide to start using heroin again?
- How does drug and-or alcohol use affect relationships in the novel?
Chew on This
Party on—Shantaram glorifies recreational drug use without showing any of its negative effects.
Party not—Shantaram shows the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse through their consequences in the main character's life.