When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine

Consider the candy Lilia receives (both from Mr. Pirzada and on Halloween) in light of the story’s broader depiction of food. What role does food play in cementing social ties or reinforcing culture? Does the candy function in the same way?

Lilia occupies a unique position in the story in that she exists in two different cultural spheres. At home she is exposed to many aspects of Indian culture, but at school she is expected to learn American history and participate in American traditions like Halloween. Explore the ways this dual cultural knowledge impacts Lilia.

Most of the story takes place in Lilia’s home, but there is also a brief scene in Dora’s. Consider the role of home in the story as it relates to themes of culture, ritual, time, loss, and/or war.

Lilia’s parents display different attitudes toward what she is and isn’t learning at school. Discuss their different opinions. Why might they hold the opinions they do? Does this tension manifest in other areas of Lilia’s life? For example, Lilia’s mother is proud that Lilia is learning American history at school because, for her, that history represents the opportunity and safety Lilia has in the US. Based on what the story shows of Lilia’s life at home and outside of it, do you agree that she has “every opportunity”?

While the main focus on the story is the Bangladesh Liberation War, there is also quite a lot of attention given to the American Revolution, which is a focus of Lilia’s education at school. Consider the way the story juxtaposes these two conflicts. What message do you think the story is trying to convey about America’s attitude towards different wars?

The story is told from a first-person perspective as Lilia looks back on a particularly formative time in her life. However, for most of the story, Lilia abandons her position of knowledge and experience and instead speaks as her 10-year-old self. Discuss the effect of this framing device. Would the story change without Lilia’s retrospective narration? How might this structure contribute to any of the text’s themes?

For most of the story, Lilia is surprised by how calm and composed Mr. Pirzada is. Why do you think this is the case? Discuss the moment when he finally displays some despair—what has changed?

The text depicts numerous forms of loss. Identify these forms of loss and explore how they relate to the experience of being an immigrant.