Heart Lamp: Selected Stories

Mushtaq urges her readers to fight for reform, rather than for the abolition of traditional social institutions like organized religion and the family. How do the stories critique the flaws of these social institutions and hierarchies? What reforms does the collection imply may be possible?

By exploring the link between patriarchy and capitalism, Mushtaq highlights how forms of domination and hierarchy often mirror one another or become interdependent. How do the stories expose different forms of power dynamics and exploitation?

Discuss the way Mushtaq uses humor to support her ideas. How do the ironic or farcical situations of her characters illuminate some of the text’s key themes and ideas?