A Devoted Son

The narrator’s tone often seems cynical. To whom do you think that cynicism is directed and why? What evidence from the story lets the reader know that the narrator looks down on certain characters and not others?

Rakesh remains devoted to his father even when his father is unlikable. How do these actions play into his role as a son and as a doctor?

How does Varma’s devolution into acting like a petulant child reinforce the idea that he probably wasn’t devoted to his father like Rakesh is to him?

Do Rakesh’s actions toward his father enable Varma’s behavior and encourage him to act inappropriately?

Compare and contrast what happened in the 1960s and 1970s in the U.S. to what was happening in India at the same time. How are these similarities or differences portrayed in the story?

The story provides sparse information about how Varma and Rakesh look, what do you imagine these two characters look like based on their actions?

How does Varma lying still and pretending to be dead compare to the fairy tale of “The Boy Who Cried Wolf”?

What is your reaction to Varma criticizing his son to Bhatia? How would you advise Rakesh to defend himself against his father?