Unaccustomed Earth- Year's End presentation

1. Why did the author choose to include Jessica in the story?
2. Why did the main character’s mother want a modernist house?
3. Has anybody lost a close relative? If did then how has the story touched you did you feel the same as Kaushik?
4. Why do you think were the little girls interested in Kaushik’s mother?
5. Why do you think Kaushik is so mad when he saw the girls looking at his mother picture?
6. Why was he so angry that his father is getting married again?
7. Why were the girl so willing to accept a new father when Kaushik in so unwilling to accept a new mother?

Quote 1,
But in the days after her death I realized Mrs. Gharibian had been right, there had been nothing worse than waiting for it to come, that the void that followed was easier to bear than the solid weight of those days
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A. I find this really ironic because he should be sad after the death and not before the death. He such be glad that her mother is living another day. This is similar to us having a test. We would all was dread the time before the test and wish that it never comes. But when we are taking the test we are happy that it is finally over.

Quote 2,
Chitra opened the storm door, poking her head out. “And I will be all right?”
“What do you mean?”
“I will be safe alone, in this house?”
“Of course,” I said, stunned that it would be the first time, nearly laughing at her. “Enjoy it.”
“She does not allow us to go outside,” Piu said. “Not without her.”
“She is afraid because she cannot see neighbors,” Rupa added.

A. This may look like a simple dialogue but it actually shows a lot more. This dialogue shows a person in a unfamiliar situation. Chitra is new to the environment as a result she is insecure. She is afraid she will lose her children if she lets them play outside. Furthermore she is not use to the situation of living in a isolated home without neighbors. She is use to living in a house with neighbors she trusts and would help look after her daughters.

Quote 3:
I sat on the ground, opened the box, and began going through the pictures one by one, as if there were pieces of mail that I was quickly scanning and would read alter on. But there were too many pictures, and after a few I, like my father, could no longer bear their sight.
A. I find this weird because all the time he is thinking about his mother. When the was driving towards Canada, in the house and seeing the kids or Chitra. But when he looked at the pictures he can’t bare to see her. I can understand he is sad and doesn’t want to see her and wants to move on. But then why would he keep thinking about her, I find that then write read clearly portrays the conflict in his heart.

Message: I think the message of the story is to be open hearted and try to accept other people into your life. In the story the little girl and Chitra has suffered as much as Kaushik and his father had. But yet, the lady’s were willing to accept the two new men in to their life’s open heartedly. But Kaushik wasn’t so kind in accepting a new family so he made a mistake he can never recover.
Also I think another theme is living in a foreign place shown by Chitra, in the beginning of the story she doesn’t seem to be adapting pretty well. She was afraid to drive, scared to live the house and really uncomfortable with no neighbors around them. Also the kids are afraid to go to school. But at the end of the story when Kaushik graduated they all seemed to start fitting in. Chitra and his father is moving to a city, which Chitra is more use to. And the kids are speaking English without an accent.