The Inheritance Of Loss Analysis

“He knew he was a foreigner but he had lost the notion that he was anything but an Indian foreigner...”( 220). Though Desai describes a majority of Nepalese living in Kalimpong area, she does not speak about any mutual influences between Indians and Nepalese. There are no influences mentioned except for the fact that Nepalese were disadvantaged by the Indians. Western influence was found among many people and the Eastern culture did not influence as the western. Most of the characters display a constant obsession with western thought and a deep investment in western institutions. Even the minor characters like Noni, Lola, Mrs Sen, and the cook live with their consciousness trapped by the thoughts of western countries like
In the same way as Sai lives between two different cultures, the East and the West, her class identity is ambiguous. Being the granddaughter of the judge, she is able to enjoy what is left of his wealth and his high position in society. She gets a private education and does not have any serious financial worries. However, unlike her grandfather, Sai is not class conscious. She is more concerned with maintaining a close relationship with the cook and the other ones around her to fill the empty space of her dead parents. In particular, she wants to keep the cook for herself. She is therefore very happy when it becomes clear that Biju is leaving for America: “If his son were around, he would pay only the most cursory attention to her. She was just the alternative, the one to whom he gave his affection if he could not have Biju, the real thing” (187). As a person she is kind, sensible and warm-hearted and tries to help out whenever she can. Hence, class differences do not matter to her, as long as she and her closest acquaintances are able to live a reasonable life in dignity. Sai and the cook grow close over the years. Therefore, it really hurts her to see the cook hurt and humiliated. Though they both sense that they are different in terms of class and cultural background, Sai remains kind and understanding with regard to the cook’s situation. The humiliating scene with the police inquiry after the
However, small signs, like the fact that he eats with his hands and she with a spoon, suggest that there is a wide difference: “Noticing this difference, they had become embarrassed and put the observation aside” (140). It is when Sai goes to find him after a serious fight; Sai realizes how different they really are and how little she knows about his background. After a two-hour walk Sai reaches the poor part of Kalimpong which is “quite foreign to her” (254). At first sight the little homes in Gyan’s neighborhood look pretty to her. But Sai knew