HISTORICAL
What major event in caused widespread migration across India?
The Partition of India
What job does Boori Ma perform in the apartment building?
Doorkeeper, caretaker
What does a socioeconomic lens focus on?
Class and power
What does the apartment building represent in the story?
Class hierarchy
After the Partition, where does Boori Ma migrate?
Kolkata
What object is stolen from the building while Boori Ma is away?
Ceramic washbasin
Which group has the most economic power in the story?
Residents / Dalals
What does Boori Ma’s “skeleton key” symbolize?
A lost past
What broader social issue does the story reflect in post-Partition India?
Class divide
Why do the residents begin improving and renovating the building?
Because of Mr. Dalal’s promotion
Why does Boori Ma have no economic power in the building?
No income / She's dependent
What does the residents forming a “circle” around Boori Ma represent?
Exclusion
What major themes are associated with Lahiri's writing style and background?
Displacement, identity
How do the residents respond to the missing washbasin?
They blame Boori Ma
How does social status affect credibility in the story?
Determines belief
What is the central message about class in the story?
Power and exclusion
What social pattern is shown when vulnerable people are blamed after crises?
Scapegoating
Why do the residents consider Boori Ma's storytelling unreliable?
Inconsistent stories
When does Boori Ma lose all support from the residents?
After theft
What does the line “what a building like this needs is a real durwan” show?
Role over person