Ma clearly has some sort of illness. Sounds like Alzheimer’s to me, but they seem to allude to it not being Alzheimer’s.
Dilip – main character’s husband
Story takes place in India
When Dilip’s mother arrives to Prune for the wedding, the main character (still unnamed) presents an internal conflict over the city and how it is perceived to an outsider – specifically her future mother-in-law. “How much did I want to misrepresent where I lived – and who I was – and could I even recognize what was a desirable cover-up and what was not” (pg 19)? — Honestly, this type of anxious, internal conflict held incredibly relatable to myself. I always thought I loved where I lived and was proud of it.. until, I brought my boyfriend there for the first time. Suddenly, I was looking at everything different and imagining the ways it looked to him – hoping he wasn’t thinking less of me. It seems irrational, but it’s not. Seemingly, he enjoyed his trip and loved seeing my home, but it certainly didn’t feel that way at the time. I was making excuses for how certain buildings looked or the restaurants we had, as if there aren’t ups and downs of any area. I feel this relates to the main character’s struggle of misrepresenting where she comes from. Making excuses or feeling the need to explain a part of your life that truly is a piece of you can feel like a betrayal to your own self.
