Plot Points
This is the mysterious illness that Bibi suffers from.
undiagnosed illness/seizures
She is the main character
Bibi Haldar
This theme is explored through Bibi's longing for companionship
Love
The story is set in this city in India.
Calcutta
Bibi’s seizures symbolize this inner conflict.
emotional frustration
Bibi is DESPERATE to experience this aspect of life.
Marriage/Love
These people narrate the story
The neighborhood women
Bibi’s story critiques this societal issue, particularly for women.
Patriarchy
The community’s attitude toward illness and women reflects these norms.
traditional
The child represents this in Bibi’s life.
Hope and Independence
This is what her cousin and his wife do to her as her condition worsens.
They abandon her and lock her in a storage room.
He is Bibi's cousin who controls her access to treatment
Haldar
The story implies that this “treatment” worked better than medicine.
Motherhood
This Western concept is suggested as a cure for Bibi.
marriage
The locked storage room where Bibi is kept symbolizes this.
isolation
This is how Bibi eventually finds her way to stability.
Having a child and becoming a mother!
Bibi's cousin insist that she will never be able to do this
Live independently and get married
Bibi’s illness may also symbolize this emotional state.
isolation
This religious or cultural practice is hinted at through Bibi’s isolation.
gender division
Lahiri’s use of a communal narrator reflects this storytelling tradition.
Oral Tradition
The twist of the story is that this is never revealed.
Whose the father of Bibi's child?????
After being rejected by her family, this group steps in to support Bibi
Local women/Community
The lack of a named father for Bibi’s child raises questions about this theme.
Gender Roles
The store Bibi helps manage sells these types of items.
beauty supplies
Lahiri leaves this major question unanswered, a stylistic choice.
The identity of the Childs father