Due by class time on Tuesday, September 11
On Thursday, we talked a little bit about how a person's understanding of race can influence them in different ways. In this story, "Mrs. Dutta Writes a Letter," the characters share the same ethnic identity, but they have very different ways of seeing the world. For your response, consider the following questions: What accounts for the disconnect between Mrs. Dutta and her family, do you think? How are the ideas of culture and family presented in the story? Ultimately, where does Mrs. Dutta find her identity and how does that shape her decision in the end?
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In the story “Mrs. Dutta Writes A Letter,” it is obvious that sharing a similar ethnic background is not enough to make people exactly alike, nor is it necessarily enough to bond them so that they can live and agree with one another. Though they come from similar backgrounds, Mrs. Dutta and her family seem to view the ‘way things should be’ from two completely different perspectives.
I believe that several things are responsible for the disconnect between Mrs. Dutta and her son’s family. First, it is apparent that the American way of life that Sagar, Shyamoli, and the children have grown accustomed to has shaped their views and actions to look differently than their ethnic background. The children have never experienced life outside of America. They are used to watching hours of television, slacking on work, and talking about frivolous things. They have a very different view of disrespect than their grandmother has. When Mrinalini says, “It’s not fair. Why can’t she go downstairs?” Mrs. Dutta is shocked that the child goes unpunished. However, on the other hand, Mrinalini probably would have been shocked if she had been punished.
Concerning Shyamoli, it is clear that she has soaked up the American culture and desires very much to fit in it and to not be looked down upon. I think this, coupled with the fact that Shyamoli once was a “timid bride” that Mrs. Dutta herself had mothered, serves to separate the two women. Mrs. Dutta had desired to see Shyamoli serve as the type of wife that she had been for Sagar’s father. Instead, she observes a powerful businesswoman that works outside of the home and has a very different perspective of the world.
I also think the lack of connection can be attributed to different generations. Not only is Mrs. Dutta’s familiar and preferred culture very different from that of the Americanized family, she also comes from a different generation. In many cultures, including the American culture, values, morals, and expectations tend to change, if only slightly, over time. For example, a mother’s ‘expected’ role in today’s American society is quite different than it was 40 years ago. Therefore, the difference in generations may add to their already contrasted worlds.
Mrs. Dutta seems to wrestle through periods of thought that she will push herself to make life work in America, as well as periods of overwhelming desire to be back in her home country. Based on the letter that she finally writes to Roma, she realizes that her place is in India. I also think that she finally realizes, however, that she is allowed to think of herself and do things that make her happy. I think she also finds that when she decides that it is okay for others to see what might be considered ‘weakness’ in her, that she no longer needs to feel that weakness inside. The end of the story states that “Mrs. Dutta is surprised to discover this: now that she no longer cares whether tears blotch her letter, she feels no need to weap.” Therefore, I believe that the constant need to portray perfection, strength, and submission as a woman and mother are the things that actually made her weak and uncertain to begin with. In the end, though she chooses not to stay with her family, I think that her decision to go back to a place that makes her happy actually serves to gap the separation that was between them.
Analyzing Mrs. Dutta and the connection and disconnection between Indian and American society.
The most obvious disconnection between the two cultures is the simple idea of tradition. Tradition plays a key role in each of the characters lives and reactions to various situations. You notice that Mrs. Dutta see’s what she is doing as ok and that is because she was taught to live and unlike Shyamoli followed those set of guidelines or rules. Indian culture raised women to always come second and to cater to their family at all cost. When you consider the example of when Mrs. Dutta was sick back in India, it spoke of her mitigating factor to get better as the fact that so many people needed and counted on her services. I believe this was the medicine that she needed and was required to heal her. For many years, Mrs. Dutta had grown accustomed to waiting on everyone hand and foot much like she was taught in the Indian culture; although, quite opposite to what she had seen in the American culture. When you look at the character of Shyamoli you see assimilation and loss of culture in the fullest sense. As the story wraps up, you really begin to notice her strong want to be like everyone else when she cries because a neighbor repeats something to her twice as if she doesn’t speak English. This is only one of the many signs that Molli as she is called within the story does not want to stand out rather she wants to blend in and become American and leave her Indian traditions back in India.
On top of the other obvious disconnects that you can see between Mrs. Dutta and her family is the simple issue of freedom. Becoming a bride at 17 and a mother 3 years later who lived under the rules of her mother-in- law gave her a since of captivity. She was forced to take this role on for the past 40+ years of her life and she knew nothing more than what she had lived all her life. According to Indian culture, after a woman’s husband has died it then becomes the job of the son, to take care of his mother; although, this was not how she pictured her life. I believe a lot of other factors must also be taken in to account when you are considering Mrs. Dutta’s disconnection. Mrs. Dutta also felt and showed her disconnection because she resented the fact that she had to come and live with her son due to her illness and the guidelines of tradition. She was accustomed to being independent and for the first time in her life she did not have to answer to anyone or worry about what anyone thought; however, once in the household of Molli and Sagar she had once again lost her freedom.
I enjoy how Mrs. Dutta at least three times within the story makes reference to Molli as a she can’t believe this is the same shy girl she sent off to America a few years ago. The same girl she mothered and tried to raise and teach her the right traditions on how to be a proper Indian wife. Right there I believe that Divakauni is showing us the reader the change that has happened over time with Molli. Molli ended up going quite opposite of that she worked outside of the home and even asked Sagar for help which was appalling to the Indian society, addressed her husband by his first name ( you notice that even though Mrs. Dutta’s husband is dead we still never read her calling him by his first name rather it ‘s always printed as her calling him sagar’s father)and doesn’t cook traditional food either. These two female characters are like night and day despite the fact that they both knew the road they were suppose to take. You notice that these two characters are quite contrasting Mrs. Dutta is the extreme in following Indian culture/tradition and Molli, is trying her best to become the extreme in American culture; then, somewhere in the middle you find Sagar who is torn between Indian tradition with his mother and his new lifestyle with his wife. Where does he stand on issues such as cooking? Does he allow his mother to cook traditional foods or should he assimilate much like his wife has done and start to live the American way just because he now lives in America? Many times within this it is easy for the reader to forget that Molli also knows these traditions of the role that a woman should play within her family plays. Her lack of respect and disregard for these is clearly shown throughout.
So then Divakauni leaves you with a real wondering at the end as to what Mrs. Dutta feels. You being to notice that what she thought was happiness was in all actuality confusion. It was tradition that Mrs. Dutta lived by that shaped her life not happiness. The only time she was home was back in India after her husband had died her son had moved away to start his family. In the end it states that she has to find her happiness it is not something that she knows and she calls on her dear friend Roma to help her in this quest. In America she is not at home it is equivalent as to being back in the house hole with her mother-in-law being scolded for every little thing she does wrong. So she make it easier on her son so that her son does not have to choose, Mrs. Dutta decides to go back to India. Throughout you see the effort Mrs. Dutta puts up to change she tries to learn to work the washing machine she tries to do all the cleaning and cooking to help her daughter in law out, but in the end it becomes apparent that she has become an old lady set in her ways of freedom and the only place she can experience this freedom is back at home with her friends in the comfort s of her new home while sipping sweet tea and gossiping.
In the story, “Mrs. Dutta Writes a Letter,” Mrs. Dutta struggles with her identity. She feels that it is the right thing to do when she moves to the United States to live with her family, but once she is there, she feels differently. The disconnection she feels with her family, the difference in ideas and cultures, and her lost identity all affect her life in America.
The disconnection she feels with her family is due to many different factors. The way that Mrs. Dutta grew up and the way that her son, Sagar, grew up are completely different. Mrs. Dutta had an arranged marriage and was forced to live with her husband’s family. She was always surrounded by people of the same beliefs and culture. On the other hand, her son and wife lived in the United States on their own with no family. They had to start a life of their own and had to adapt to the different lifestyle that the rest of America was already accustom to. Over time, Sagar and his family adjusted to the fast-pace lifestyle and drifted away from the Hindu lifestyle. Furthermore, I think that the family wanted to fit in and not to have anyone think that they were a ‘savage’. This is portrayed when Shyamoli states, “All these years I’ve been so careful not to give these Americans a chance to say something like this.” The difference in opinion among Mrs. Dutta and Shyamoli caused there to be a disconnection among the family. Their views on how things should be done are polar opposites. For example, the way in which the laundry would be done is a huge issue among the two women. It seemed like there is a power struggle among them both and that neither one of them will be happy unless they are fully needed and are fully in control.
The difference in ideas and culture are presented in the story by comparing Mrs. Dutta to her son and his family. The variation in ideas is greatly affected by the generation gap among the family. Mrs. Dutta is used to a much more traditional lifestyle in which the woman did all of the housework, such as cooking and doing laundry. Shyamoli, however, is familiar with the fact that both men and women should be responsible for the upkeep of the home. The shock that overcomes Mrs. Dutta when Shyamoli asks Sagar to do the laundry is evidence that times have changed. She has never seen a man do household chores and therefore thinks that it is disrespectful for Shyamoli to ask him to do such a thing. The difference in culture is also presented in much the same way. Mrs. Dutta has never seen children or adults watch so much television in her life. She states, “The amount of TV they watch here is quite scandalous.” Shyamoli, though, thinks that there is nothing wrong with watching a couple of hours of TV everyday and is annoyed when her mother-in-law asks that the children turn it off. Overall, the comparison of the two generations greatly shows the difference in ideas and culture.
Ultimately, I think that Mrs. Dutta finds her identity to be in India. Throughout her stay in America, she is constantly thinking of her home in India and all of her friends. Her decision becomes final to go back to India after overhearing her son and his wife talk about her. She finally realizes that she owes herself something. She can no longer live her life for other people in order to make them happy, but instead she must start to do things for herself for her own happiness. In the end, she is able to write a letter back to her good friend, Mrs. Dutta, and tell her that she is coming home to the place where she belongs.
In the story Mrs. Dutta writes a letter, I believe that there are many reasons for the way that the characters see the world. The main reason I think is because they have grown up or lived in two completely different societies. The son, wife and kids have lived in America for many years and have become accustomed to the American way of life, however Mrs. Dutta is from India and has lived there all of her life where people, culture, and way of life is completely different. The second reason I found is that they are all different ages in India when Mrs. Dutta was a newly wed only the husband worked and the wife stayed at home and did the housework, cooking and looking after the children. However, now she is in America many years later and the women are working and complaining and cooking non traditional things and I think this makes Mrs. Dutta feel very disconnected with this new place she is in and her family.
The ideas of culture and family are represented with great importance in this story. This can be seen when Mrs. Dutta thinks that her son will make everything alright and there will be no problems because she will be with family. Because she believes that she will be perfectly fine in America she gives all of her possessions in India away and moves to America. After she arrives she finds out that they are not the family and this is not the way of life she had expected and seems disappointed.
I believe that Mrs. Dutta always knew that she didn’t belong in America and that is why she did not go in the first place. When she is there she tries to make it work but in the end she realizes that her place is in India with what she knows. So this allows her to swallow her pride and write to her friend that she is coming home to India.
When Mrs. Dutta moves to America out of devotion to her only remaining family, she discovers that life is not at all as she assumed it would be, and that her best friend’s relationship with her children is not as unreasonable as she had thought it would be. Mrs. Dutta and Shyamoli both came from the same place, but have ended up in two entirely different worlds, though they may have been sharing the same house for a while.
Mrs. Dutta grew up in a world where rock-solid discipline and devotion to the family were key. Respect played a major role in everything she did in her married life, not even calling her husband by name in the forty-two years they were married, and she did everything out of devotion and tradition. Once, when Shyamoli asks her husband (calling him by name) to do the laundry, Mrs. Dutta is appalled even at the prospect of Sagar touching the laundry, because it is a woman’s work. She has grown up in a place where women pride themselves in filling their role in the culture, as they are expected to do. She even gains a deep satisfaction from doing the “woman’s work” she feels she needs to do. Whereas Shyamoli fills a different role, within the American cultural context. She also does things that are important, and maybe even expected of her by her culture. She is a businesswoman whose career distracts her from the household duties, which causes her excuse for not doing the laundry every single time. In America, it seems perfectly reasonable for a wife to ask her husband for help around the house, because a two-career marriage is common, and through the cultural worldview, is not a detractor in a wife’s value. The women fill two entirely different roles in their respective culture during the story, and because of Mrs. Dutta’s Indian expectations for Shyamoli, she is surprised that Shyamoli is acting out of her own convictions. But is that not expected of a person, to act out what they believe is the right way to “do things”? This is a major point at the end of the story as Mrs. Dutta learns that maybe cultural expectations, or even potential family gossip, are not the most healthy way to decide whether or not to make a life decision.
Family values may seem different to both women, but may actually be rooted in the same love for offspring. To Mrs. Dutta, entire devotion to a child, even having her widow’s place with her son, is essential (at first). She loves her son and wishes to cook him delightful treats, and relate to him as much of her life as she can. Shyamoli loves her children too, but in a way that she wants her children to live happy American lives, not being scorned for being different. In “protecting” her children from weird, Indian customs, she also squelches their heritage, though not out of hate. Conversation is different as well. Coming from India, Mrs. Dutta expects respect towards her son and from the children. When she hears them outside the bathroom, speaking lowly of herself, she becomes angry at them, and possibly angrier at their own mother for not rebuking their sin. Though Shyamoli, coming from her perspective, seems to not think of it as a big deal. The children meant no harsh disrespect or hatred for their grandmother, (although they may not have entirely enjoyed her prescence in the house,) but were merely frustrated and expressed it verbally as most American children do. Shyamoli saw this and did not punish the children as Mrs. Dutta would have. This difference in value of formal respect caused a huge rift between Mrs. Dutta and her son’s family.
In the end of the story, Mrs. Dutta finds her identity in realizing that perhaps Shyamoli is not inherently wrong for not doing things that may have been expected of her at one point, and trekking a path of her own. She becomes inspired from this realization and in spite of the scorn she most likely will receive, decides to stop wearing a disciplined façade and make a shelfish choice for once in her life.
In “Mr. Dutta Writes a Letter” there are many points that are transposed to many cultures today. Whether it be Indian or any other culture there are many parents that have felt a disconnect to coming to America and seeing that their kids have assimilated into American culture, which they no nothing of. Mrs. Dutta when asked by her son and his wife to come to live in America at the beginning was happy, but as she began to see how different things are in America to how they are in India, this is when I think the disconnect begins. From the different foods they ate, which Shymoli thought were too greasy or how it contained too much cholesterol, all this was new to Mr. Dutta. She believes that food is the way to connect with her son’s family and see that his wife is not open to it. When she was married, she did everything for her husband and in many ways wants to do everything for her son but sees that she is only in the middle of him and his wife and kids. Thought they are in the same family, mom and son live two distinct worlds. In the story, it seems like Mr. Dutta wants to take over the domestic things which she thinks should be done like she was taught growing up. Being a young bride and learning from her mother-in- law how to do all the things a good wife should do, I think the things stayed with her. It is hard to change one’s way especially when they have done things for such a long time. This was seen when she wanted to hang the clothes outside. She did it how she was taught and was rather scared of the washer and dryer and washed the clothes with the only way she knew how to. Her son’s wife does not understand this and is embarrassed that she did this because they are the only Indians in the neighborhood and doesn’t want anyone to think them weird.
Another disconnect is with the children. Growing up in India where the t.v was not watched to where it is the focal point of the family’s time sharing. When she was married, her life was spent reading and doing other “productive” things and does not understand the fascination with the kids and the cartoons and in ways is disconnected to her own family.
The ideas of culture and family are the responsibility of her son and he does take her in. Though he is her son, they have different cultures now. Though she raised him, he has come to learn the American way and for this, it clashes with her Indian way. She sees this and though feeling disappointed that she could not make it work, decides to go back to a place and culture that she is familiar with. She has worked a life time to form her own identity and she sees that it is being compromised at the expense of making her son happy. When she knows that she has made the right decision of going back, I think she gets her identity back and in a way is doing something American. She is now an independent woman, which she has never done because she has had obligations and expectations from others. For once, she is not compromising her happiness.
“Mrs. Dutta Writes a Letter” shows us that every person has their own opinion about things and how some people care too much about what others think. Even though someone may be from the same background, they might not like their own culture and where they came from. They may change their personality so much because they want to be accepted. Mrs. Dutta is not used to the way things are in America and she is very confused about why certain things are done and she begins to wonder why she does some of the things she does.
There is a big disconnection between Mrs. Dutta and her family. She decides to move to America with expectations of a great life with her son and grandchildren and she does not realize how different other countries are. Mrs. Dutta is not accustomed to the things in America because she was forced into marriage and to live with her husband’s family. She was taught to be a wife that does almost too much. Her mother-in-law taught her at the age of seventeen that a “good wife” wakes before the rest of the household to do chores, cook, and other things. When she goes to America she does not understand why her son tells her to sleep late and to not do too much. He wants her to rest and slow down which she is not accustomed to. She feels very out of place because her daughter-in-law treats her very different from how she treated her own mother-in-law. At times Mrs. Dutta becomes very frustrated with the way Shyamoli and her grandchildren act. They treat her with disrespect and in India which is where Mrs. Dutta is from, that would never happen.
Mrs. Dutta as we can tell at times feels very uncomfortable with the way things work in the house. For instance, she has never used a washing machine before and Shyamoli will not let her do her own laundry the way she is accustomed to. She does not like to let other people do things for her because when she was married she did almost everything for the family. Shyamoli tells her that Sagar will do the laundry for her and she is not comfortable with this because she does not want her son to look through his wife’s and his mother’s underwear and clothes. Shyamoli is not used to this because she has grown up differently from Mrs. Dutta and she does not understand why she does not want Sagar to do her laundry. She comments by saying, “This is why Indian men are so useless.” After all, Mrs. Dutta had been on her own for three years after Sagar’s father died and she had done everything for herself. Sagar almost seems embarrassed at some times because he knows his wife is not happy with certain things Mrs. Dutta does. She does not cook normal American food and things of that sort. He is almost in a trap because maybe he is starting to wonder if he should respect his mother’s old fashion Indian ways of doing things or try to change her so that she can become more American like.
Mrs. Dutta wanted to go over and meet the neighbors the minute she arrived in America but Shyamoli would not let her because she simply said you cannot unexpectedly go over to someone’s home. Now, she was just trying to be friendly and did not understand why but she did what she was told to do. She also thought that there was no wrong in laying her clothes on top of the fence, but when Shyamoli got home Mrs. Dutta heard her whole conversation with Sagar. Shyamoli cares so much about what other people think and she is terribly embarrassed when the neighbor told her something about Mrs. Dutta’s clothes hanging on the fence. She says, “I’ve been so careful not to give these Americans a chance to say something like this.” On the other hand, there is a little part in Mrs. Dutta that shows her caring of what others think as well by her not wanted her teardrop to show on the letter. She is at a very confused point in her life. She no longer knows what happiness is. She was happy back at home where she has been her entire life or maybe she is happy and does not realize it because it is a different happiness. After all everything she does now is different. Maybe it will just take time to realize she is happy because she is with the people she really cares about, her family. She is just not used to the way things are and she may begin to realize that times have changed and see that her ways of doing things do not have to be so by the book. She will have to figure things out on her own. She may begin to see that to be a good wife, husband, or grandmother does not require I cook, you clean. Things are to be done by whomever and it really does not matter just as long as things get done and everyone is happy. Like Mrs. Dutta says at the end of the story, “the happiness will be in the figuring out part.”
Although Mrs. Dutta and her family share the same Indian ethnic identity, they have been raised in different cultures, one living by traditional Indian culture, the other living in a modern American Indian culture. With each culture having its own norms, conflict disconnects the two. On one end is Mrs. Dutta, who has been raised as a traditional Indian wife. While growing up in India, Mrs. Dutta was forced into marriage by her parents at a young age and was taught to place her families’ needs above her own. For example, she was expected to get up earlier than anyone else to make breakfast. However, in America, her early morning activities are a problem, because they wake up Shyamoli. Mrs. Dutta finds it impossible to break her life long habit. On the other side is Shyamoli, who has totally incorporated the American culture into her live and does not care for Mrs. Dutta’s traditions. Shyamoli strays away from her past Indian culture and follows her American society’s norm of wanting to be like everyone else. She wants her neighbors to realize that her family is truly American and will do anything it takes to stay American, even if it means for her to constantly fuss at her mother-in-law and abandoning her Indian history.
The ideas of culture and family presented in the story differ between Mrs. Dutta and her son and his family. As stated earlier, Mrs. Dutta is accustomed to the traditional Indian lifestyle of putting her husband and family’s needs before her own. Whereas, Sagar and Shyamoli believe that both men and women should be responsible for housework. This belief is exhibited in the story when Shyamoli explains to Mrs. Dutta, “Here in America we don’t believe in men’s work and women’s work.” Upon hearing this, Mrs. Dutta feels a cultural shock because she had never seen a father do a household chore such as laundry before and thinks that is not proper. Mrs. Dutta also finds that family life in America differs from that in India. In India, families would have tea together, eat large portioned meals, and children would closely listen to their mother’s orders. But in America, things were just the opposite. Family life was centered around watching television together and eating healthy meals with low cholesterol. Mrs. Dutta defines her grandchildren as a “disappointment” when she sees how Pradeep and Mrinalini answer to their mother. She constantly says how their behavior and attitudes would not be acceptable in India, forgetting they were raised in an American culture.
I believe that Mrs. Dutta truly finds her identity within her home country of India. Throughout the story, she constantly longs for her old Indian home and friends, especially Roma. Roma was the one person she could not lie to. This is shown when Mrs. Dutta struggles to write down in the letter that she loves being in America and is happy there. After overhearing Shyamoli tell Sagar that she is tired of having his mother take over her household, Mrs. Dutta makes her final decision of returning to India. Usually when someone has been hurt, he or she is tempted to see the person who hurt them as being wrong or bad. Mrs. Dutta does not give in to this temptation. Instead, she grasps immediately what she learned from Shyamoli; she must now stand up for herself as she has seen Shyamoli do for herself. It does not occur to her that if she adopts this one trait of Shyamoli's, she will be abandoning or betraying her own. Practically all of the American culture that she has experienced she judges to be far inferior to her own and is not about to accept it at the end of the story. But Mrs. Dutta is a good woman and a survivor. She will take from Shyamoli and from America the good she sees in them, and the rest she will forget about without resentment.
In “Mrs. Dutta Writes a Letter,” Mrs. Dutta’s ethnic background, her sense of tradition, and her sense of culture were all elements that contributed to her struggle with finding her true identity. Mrs. Dutta had a difficult time trying to figure out where she should be. She did not know where she would be happy – India or California. In the end, Mrs. Dutta realized that California was not where she needed to be and that India, her true home, was where she belonged.
Mrs. Dutta faced many everyday problems when she reached America that contributed to her struggle. People in America were different. The food was different. Women and men’s roles in society were different. She could not even do her laundry in America. In addition to these social issues, there was an extreme disconnect between Mrs. Dutta and her family. Mrs. Dutta moved to America in the first place because she had fallen ill and wanted her son, Sagar, to love her. However, when she reached America, there were too many struggles between her and her family. The traditions of Mrs. Dutta’s family and that of her son’s family were dissimilar. The children were raised and behaved in their own way. Mrs. Dutta felt that the children’s behavior was highly disappointing. Her grandchildren watched television most of the afternoon, and had no chores whatsoever. They talked back to their parents and contradicted what their parents said. Mrs. Dutta was bewildered by this because it was not the way she knew children to behave. She believed children were supposed to be highly disciplined. Sagar grew up with his mother as this strong and devoted woman who treated him well, but was also someone who he was to respect. Mrs. Dutta also had a hard time understanding her daughter-in-law, Shyamoli. Shyamoli broke down and cried in front of her family with ease, whereas Mrs. Dutta grew up believing that it was inappropriate for the wife or mother of the house to show those emotions to her family. Shyamoli was dedicated to her family, yes, but she also spent a majority of her time at a place of work, and this was different than the way Mrs. Dutta was raised. Mrs. Dutta felt as though Shyamoli did some things that were a man’s work, and that Shyamoli was not as good of a mother and wife as Mrs. Dutta had been. Sagar realized how hard it was for his mother to be in America. She struggled until the day she decided to return to India.
Culture was a recurring theme throughout this story. Mrs. Dutta refered to her sari or saris several times during the story. She took pride in her ethnic cooking, even if Shyamoli found it fattening. She did not understand why Shyamoli asked Sagar to do laundry, when clearly in Indian culture, that is a woman’s work. The letter Mrs. Dutta was writing was to her good friend, Mrs. Basu, and she was trying to explain why America was so great. The bottom line was that she missed the culture and tradition of India. She missed the way she was raised and the way she raised her son.
Mrs. Dutta faced a difficult situation towards the end of the story. She overheard Shyamoli telling Sagar things about Mrs. Dutta that Shyamoli did not like. Mrs. Dutta slipped into her room, crushed, and thought about how to make things right between her and her daughter-in-law. Mrs. Dutta went back to writing her friend, and she realized why America’s greatness had been so difficult for her to explain. She was not happy in California. She did not belong there. Previous times in the story when Mrs. Dutta was writing the letter, she was not only trying to convince Mrs. Basu, but she was trying to convince herself that she liked America. Shyamoli saying those things about Mrs. Dutta helped her to see the truth – that she wasn’t happy. After this realization, Mrs. Dutta “feels no need to weep.” In the end, I think that Mrs. Dutta made the best decision to move back to India. Although she was struggling with an illness, she needed to be happy first and foremost. She finally felt like she could worry about herself and not just about her family. She had friends in India who would help her through her sickness, and India would help her be a stronger woman.
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