Synopses & Reviews
Uma, the plain spinster daughter of a close-knit Indian family, is trapped at home, smothered by her overbearing parents and their traditions, unlike her ambitious younger sister Aruna, who brings off a "good" marriage, and brother Arun, the disappointing son and heir who is studying in America.Across the world in Massachusetts, life with the Patton family is bewildering for Arun in the alien culture of freedom, freezers and paradoxically self-denying self-indulgence.
About the Author
Anita Desai was born and educated in India. Her novels include Clear Light of Day and In Custody, both shortlisted for the Booker Prize. She teaches in the Writing Program at MIT, and divides her time between India, Massachusetts, and Cambridge, England. In Custody was filmed by Merchant Ivory Productions.
Reading Group Guide
1.
Fasting, Feasting, a novel built around the contrasts between Indian and American family life, seems to present a negative view of both modern societies. How do you respond to this critical portrayal?
2. The novel is comprised of two self-contained narratives. What, if anything, does this structure add to the enjoyment of the novel? Do you think it works as a narrative device?
3. Food is a central theme of this novel, why is this and what does the food represent? Discuss how Desai uses food to comment on cultural identity.
4. In both sections of the book, it is ultimately the women who suffer. What is Desai saying about cultural misconceptions of happiness and gender?
5. 'Contemporary Indian fiction writers are among the finest in the world' -- Irish Times. What are the defining characteristics of this school of Indian writing, as purveyed by writers such as Salman Rushdie and Vikram Seth? Does Desai depart from this school of Indian writing?
6. During Arun's stay with the Patton family, their perceptions of each other are consistently proven to be false. Do you think that by the end of the novel either Mrs. Patton or Arun reach a greater/truer understanding of the other's culture?