54 pages • 1 hour read
Gita MehtaA River Sutra
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1993A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
The narrator took his job at the rest house after his wife passed away, hoping to retire from the world. Compare and contrast the narrator’s story with the stories of other characters who seek enlightenment.
What are the different religions and belief systems around the rest house? Why is it important to the story that so many religions and cultures are represented?
Love is a major theme in many of the stories the narrator encounters, but Tariq Mia seems to think that the narrator does not understand love. Discuss any two of the stories to show how love is central to them. Analyze the narrator’s reactions to these stories to show his understanding (or misunderstanding) of love.
The Narmada River is a real river in India, and Professor Shankar reveals that it has not changed its course in thousands of years. How does this information reframe the stories of the novel and influence the myths and legends surrounding it?
What role do myths and legends play in the novel? How do different characters’ perceptions of spirituality impact their reactions to these stories? Explain, with examples.
Pick a poem or song from the novel and explain its significance to the story in which it appears. Why do you think the novel links songs and stories?
Three characters in the text come from distinctly wealthy backgrounds: the narrator, Ashok the Jain monk, and Nitin Bose. How does their wealth affect their desire for peace or enlightenment? What conclusions can be drawn from the novel about how physical property or wealth relate to spirituality?
Using any two stories from the novel, compare and contrast the way gender is portrayed. What are the notable differences between the experiences of women and men in these stories?
What role does Tariq Mia play in the novel? Why do you think the narrator stops visiting him toward the end of the novel?
At the end of the novel, the narrator is upset by the Naga Baba’s decision to “reenter” the world. Why does the Naga Baba become Professor Shankar? Why does this upset the narrator? Explain, using evidence from the text.
