A Wife’s Story by Bharati Mukherjee Overview
In a very brief description it is about a woman named Panna Bhatt from India who is living in New York. She has a husband and a deceased child she left back in India. She attempts to live a modest lifestyle but the man she has befriended, her roommate and exposure to the American society seem to make that a bit difficult for her. She tells of a terribly offensive play, the differences in current verses past cultures and potentially a new found affection of her husband.
There are several instances of point of view, tone and a hint of symbolism. She is mostly speaking in a first person view so I will focus on the tone of the story as I believe it is the most prevalent element. The opening few paragraphs are certainly offensive to say the least! Her tone varies between upset, offended, insulted, angry and a bit shocked as well. She is attending a standup comedy show where the performer seems to pick her of the crowd and blatantly insult Indian women and their culture. She is very angry with the writer of the show and writes him a letter. Continuing on with the story, her tone seems to shift more to match her sensitivity to the cultural differences between American society and Indian culture. One example being a public display of affection or dancing in the street. She thinks of joining alongside her friend Mire, but stops herself it seems from shyness and being a modest women. The final tone I will cover is that of love. Her husband comes to visit her in the big apple. They go on tours of the city, shopping, cooking all while having an apartment to themselves which is the most privacy they’ve ever shared as a couple. While exploring the city she writes “My heart speeds watching him this happy”. Anyone who has ever felt love can relate to that statement. Watching the one you love express so much joy inherently brings joy. Her tone and the tone of the story by the end switch from an isolated foreign woman who feels out of place to women who blossoms into a feeling of freedom in her new surroundings. Throughout the story her tone expressed her feelings as events changed, making it easier to relate to.
