Homeless Bird

What role do hope and hopelessness play in Koly’s life, and how do they influence her choices and the direction of the plot?

Homeless Bird is written in the first-person point of view, from the perspective of its protagonist. How does this convey an understanding of Koly’s internal conflicts? How might the story differ if it were told from another perspective?

Given what Koly learns about Sass and Sassur’s reasons for arranging her marriage to Hari, and how they treat Koly after he dies, do you think that they are bad people? Use textual evidence to support your argument.

How does life in India’s rural areas, like the villages where Koly’s family and the Mehtas live, differ from life in cities like Varanasi and Vrindavan? What are the social and economic implications of these differences?

Tone refers to an author’s attitude—or perceived attitude—toward a subject matter. Using textual evidence, examine the novel’s tone toward Hinduism.

What kind of character is Raji? Is he complex or flat? Does he change or transform in a significant way, or is he a static character? Explain using textual evidence.

Identify three ways Koly resiliently faces adversity and their significance to the novel’s themes. Then, identify two ways external support helps Koly overcome adversity and how they reinforce or undermine those thematic messages.

How do the novel’s characters portray the challenges of reconciling tradition and modernity? What literary techniques or devices help develop this concept, and how?