66 pages • 2 hours read
Kiran DesaiThe Inheritance of Loss
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2005A 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
Why does Desai begin the novel with the gun robbery? How does the incident foreshadow later events? How does it affect each member of the household at Cho Oyu?
How does Desai describe the house at Cho Oyu (including the cook’s residence)? What is the thematic significance of the house’s appearance and its state of disrepair?
What does Biju decide while working at Brigitte’s? How does it mark a turning point for his character?
The novel’s climax occurs in Chapter 43, when the public burning of the Indo-Nepal Treaty devolves into violence between police and local residents. How does Desai build tension during this scene? How do the incident and its aftermath affect the Cho Oyu household and the community at large?
The novel is filled with characters whose identities are divided between Western and Eastern cultures. Name three of these characters, and describe how they struggle to find authentic identity in an ever-westernizing world.
Why does the judge wear powder on his skin? Why does he become so angry when Nimi steals his powder puff? How does this incident foreshadow later developments in their marital relationship?
Throughout the novel, Desai compares romance with relationships between nations. How do the literal romances in The Inheritance of Loss symbolize the national and ethnic conflicts in the novel?
How does Mutt’s loss affect the judge, Sai, and the cook? What do these moments reveal about the characters?
Why does Biju decide to leave America? Identify at least three scenes that show his decision strengthening over time, then describe why they are important.
