Fasting vs Feasting
Why do a majority of people fast in India?
lack of material wealth and religious purposes
Why is family too overwhelming for Uma?
The expectations that are placed on her force her to act and perform in a certain way
Who are the two characters representing the gender roles?
Siblings Uma and Arun
Who are the characters that represent tradition within the novel?
Uma and Arun's parents
What is one negative effect of feasting?
Isolation, gluttony, detached
What limits Arun’s experience of individualism
Despite being in the U.S., Arun becomes isolated because he spends all his time studying
What is the traditional role of women in the family?
To remain obedient and serve their husbands exclusively in the home
How is American culture presented in the novel?
This culture emphasizes consumerism and material wealth but lacks deep emotional connection
Why is fasting good?
How do family and individualism both contribute to isolation in the novel?
Both Uma and Arun experience isolation, one due to overwhelming family control and the other due to extreme independence
What is the inequality between males and females in the novel?
The inequality is how men are granted freedom while women are restricted to traditional roles
How do tradition and modernity similarly affect characters in the novel?
Both systems, despite their differences, leave characters emotionally unfulfilled and disconnected