Lahiri AP Prompt

Authors frequently use culture to emphasize the theme of their work. Choose an author or work or literature that uses this strategy to portray the theme and in a well-developed essay explain the efficiency of this peculiar technique.

Once in a Lifetime

After reading Lahiri's Once in a Lifetime, I couldn't help but think about how friendships change through time and how my own friendships are going to change after graduation and into my college years. Hema and Kaushik's mothers used to be as close as sisters and after years apart they didn't pick up right where they left off, like most people assume will happen with very close friends. Instead, they were strangers to each other. This makes me look at my current friendships now and wonder who I am friends with now who I will remain friends with in a couple of years. It's a scary thought that the people who I treasure the most right now may not even be relevant in five months time.

Nobody's Business

Although I understand why Sang wanted to leave for London come the end of her relationship with Farouck, I still do not believe that she did so in the most appropriate manner. She left someone [Paul] who so obviously cared for her without even a proper goodbye. I am also extremely curious as to what Farouck would actually say to Sang on the phone if she was home when he called - no words could ever make up for what he did to her so I'm not quite sure why he repeatedly called the house. Another thing that I am slightly confused about is the significance of the dog at the end of the short story. Is that dog the reason that Freddy "never liked dogs"? So that the dogs would never notice the other dogs scent? Or is that dog a symbol that the entire situation with Sang changed Freddy and now he is pursuing an actual relationship?

Only Goodness

My main question about this chapter is whether or not Sudha's guilt surrounding the beginning of Rahul's drinking problems is justified or not. Although she blames herself for giving Rahul his very first beer while he visited her at school, I don't believe that she is truly the cause for his drinking problems. She may have been a gateway into him using alcohol to deal with his emotional issues, she cannot blame herself for all of the emotional struggles that cause his absue of alcohol. In a way, this story reminds me a bit of my own family problems. When I was a bit younger my brother had an issue with abusing drugs, which I knew about and did not take any measures to put a stop to it. Although I did not blame myself for the onset, I couldn't help but blame myself for the continuation of the substance abuse as an outlet for other outstanding issues. In this manner, I see many similarities between Sudha and myself - we both unjustly blamed ourselves for things outside of our control, because after all it was our brothers' own choices that were harming them, not ours.

A Failing Marriage or Just the Next Step?

The relationship between Amit and Megan fascinates me greatly. Throughout the majority of the chapter it seems that their relationship is on the decline. Their actions towards one another - Amit ditching Megan at the wedding, Megan flirting with Ted, Amit still having unrequieted feelings for Pam - makes it seem like they no longer love one another and that divorce is eminent for the couple; however, after watching the nuances of their relationship a little bit more closely throughout the chapter, it seems apparent that they still deeply love eachother, it is just no longer a passionate and all-consuming love. The way that Megan still notices how much Amit drank at the party, and how she still understands the ins and outs of his mind enough to find him in the hotel room, makes it apparent that they have fallen into a more comfortable version of the love that they still feel for eachother. Although this is not the type of love that little girls dream about, it is a comfortable love where both participating parties can truly be themselves without filters.

Intercultural Marriages

The short story of Hell-Heaven makes me question the practice of intercultural marriage. Deborah and Pranab could never quite set aside their cultural differences and just be happy together, even though they made it seem as if they had done so. The only way that their marriage could've possibly succeeded was if they had both aknowledged and nurtured both cultures, but instead Pranab shut out his Indian heritage and embraced his new western family without a thought to how that might affect him and his family in the future. Overall, this story of Hell-Heaven makes me think that intercultural marriage is nearly impossible, as people are accustomed to living their lives in the same fashions as their parents and those whom they grew up around; however, if it is to succeed I believe that both partners need to go into the relationship with their eyes - and hearts - open to the other's culture and their needs/desires that stem from the manner in which they grew up.

Ruma's Jealousy of her Three-Year-Old

Dadu's visit to Seattle to visit his daughter and grandson was a successful visit, as he was able to really enjoy the time he had and build bonds with his grandson that he had yet to do; however, I can't help but think that the explicit interest that Dadu had in Akash did not necessarily bring joy to Ruma. Ruma spent her entire life trying to win the affection of her father. She was always trying to get better grades for him, go to law school for him, get a job for him, etc. and yet, he had never shown such keen interest in her daily activities as he did with Akash in the short period that he was visited. On one level, I think it brought joy to her that her father cared so deeply about her son, her own flesh and blood; however, I also think that it was difficult for her to see him videotape Akash's swim lessons and show him how to garden, when he had never reached out in the same way to his own daughter. If I were in Ruma's shoes, I would have felt slightly depressed that my father loved his grandson significantly more than his own daughter.