One Amazing Thing - Super Summary Study Guide

8/19/2019 One Amazing Thing - Super Summary Study Guide

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One Amazing Thing

SuperSummary Study Guide Copyright 2013: SuperSummary

Plot Overview

In an unnamed city on the west coast of the United States, an earthua!e

stri!es" #ine peop$e %ecome trapped in the %asement&$e'e$ 'isa office of the Indianconsu$ate" Se'en of them are hoping to secure tra'e$ 'isas, whi$e two areemp$oyees of the Indian go'ernment" (hese few peop$e represent a 'ariety ofnationa$ities ) inc$uding *frican& *merican, Caucasian, Chinese and Indian,

a$ong with a 'ariety of %e$iefs, such as Is$am and +induism" *s a resu$t,preudice is a maor theme in the opening scenes, with se'era$ of the characters udging each other %ased on outward appearances and persona$ %ias" Cameron, an*frican&*merican who former$y ser'ed in the *rmy, %ecomes the unofficia$ $eader ofthe group" +is sur'i'a$ training s!i$$s he$p them stay a$i'e whi$e they wait for he$p" *tfirst his authority is uestioned %y (ari, a young -us$im in the group" Unti$ theyca$m down and %egin to he$p each other, there are a num%er of minor s!irmishesand instances of peop$e $oo!ing out primari$y for themse$'es" (o %ring unity to thegroup and to !eep them from harming each other, Uma suggests that they eachta!e turns te$$ing stories from their own $i'es" She is inspired %y Chaucer.s

(he Canter%ury (a$es , which she is reading for an ng$ish c$ass when the earthua!e first stri!es"

*$though there is resistance to this idea at first, e'entua$$y e'eryone agrees to te$$ astory" (hey $isten attenti'e$y during the storyte$$ing" etween stories they sharefood, ta!e %athroom %rea!s and assess their situation, which is rapid$y deterioratingas the %asement %egins to f$ood and the sme$$ of gas %ecomes stronger" achperson te$$s a story that re'ea$s something a%out who he or she is, aswe$$ as thereason for needing a tra'e$ 'isa to India" (heir stories re'ea$s the fo$$owing"

iang, who grew up in Ca$cutta.s Chinatown, was in $o'e with an Indian

man"hen for po$itica$ reasons it was dangerous to %e Chinese in India, iang $eftIndia and sett$ed in the United States with a man of Chinese descent" -r" ritchett, a Caucasian accountant, o'ercame a chi$dhood of po'erty and

a%andonment through a $o'e and passion for num%ers" +e is %ewi$dered %y hiswife.s recent %eha'ior and hopes a trip to India wi$$ %e a new start for them"

-a$athi, an office wor!er at the Indian consu$ate, has %een sent a%road after

she %eha'ed %ad$y at her o% in a sa$on in India" Upset o'er a rich woman.streatment of a ser'ant gir$, -a$athi used a chemica$ on the rich woman.s sca$p which

caused a$$ of her hair to fa$$ out" She considers this her one act of %ra'ery"



(ari, a young -us$im man who was raised in *merica, has recent$y %ecome

critica$ of *merican cu$ture and go'ernment and has %ecome more engaged in his-us$im roots than!s to his gir$friend and a group of more radica$ friends"

5i$y, iang.s granddaughter, $i'ed for a $ong time in the shadow of hero$der %rother, who aspires to %e a cancer researcher" She teaches herse$f how top$aythe f$ute and %ecomes 'ery good, gi'ing concerts and winning acc$aim" 6nedayshe simp$y fee$s she can no $onger p$ay7 it is the same day she $earns thather o$der %rother has %een fai$ing at the uni'ersity"

-r" -anga$am te$$s the story of marrying into a wea$thy fami$y to raise hisown fami$y.s station" *fter %ecoming increasing$y unhappy with his marriage, he%egins an affair" +is wife.s fami$y e8erts inf$uence to threaten -r" -anga$am and hismistress and, as a resu$t, he has %een sent to wor! at this post at the Indianconsu$ate"

-rs" ritchett.s story is a%out a great emptiness she fee$s in her $ife, the resu$tof not ha'ing chi$dren and not fee$ing a deep $o'e for her hus%and" She attemptedsuicide to escape her $ife, %ut now wishes to $ose herse$f in India and start againa$one"

Cameron is ourneying to India to meet a gir$ he has sponsored at anorphanage" It is the end of a $ong ourney to a%so$'e himse$f from a $ifetime of gui$to'er his high schoo$ gir$friend.s a%ortion and the many atrocities he witnessed

or participated in during his career in the army"

Uma, who suggested the te$$ing of the stories, te$$s her story $ast" She is

tra'e$ing to India to 'isit her parents, who ha'e re$ocated there" She has %eenho$ding onto secrets for her parents and wants to un%urden herse$f when shearri'es" (he ta$es !eep the sur'i'ors panic!ing and %eing afraid and a$so he$p %ringthem together to reach a common goa$" *$though they ha'e different %ac!groundsand persona$ities, each person has a chance to re'ea$ his/her humanity through thestories, a$$owing their words to spea! more strong$y than their actions" #ear the endof the storyte$$ing, a se'ere aftershoc! hits, %ringing down parts of the %ui$ding

a%o'e, damaging their water supp$y, and causing a gas $ea!" *s Uma te$$s the fina$ta$e, the sur'i'ors hear noises from the f$oors a%o'e" It is either the %ui$ding%ecoming increasing$y unsta%$e as a resu$t of the aftershoc!, or the noise of a rescuecrew approaching" hen the fina$ ta$e ends, the fate of the group is sti$$ un!nown,%utthey wait patient$y to see what wi$$ happen ne8t"



Chapter Summaries and *na$ysis

Chapter 1

In the %asement of the Indian consu$ate %ui$ding in an unnamed city

in the UnitedStates, a group of peop$e wait to o%tain tra'e$ 'isas" UmaSinha has %een waiting for hours, %ut seems no c$oser to her goa$" *s shewaits, she reads Chaucer, wonders if her %oyfriend 9amon $o'es her asmuch as she $o'es him, and studies the other peop$ein the room: an o$derChinese woman with a teenage granddaughter7 an o$der Caucasiancoup$e7 an Indian man a%out twenty&fi'e years o$d7 and an *frican&*mericanman who appears to %e in his fifties" Uma needs a 'isa to 'isit

her parents, who ha'ereturned to India after decades in the UnitedStates" (hey appear to %e $i'ing a $ush$ifesty$e in India, comp$ete withamenities $i!e ser'ants and a car ser'ice" Uma is $i'ingwith her %oyfriend9amon, a scientist at the uni'ersity who has not %een in'ited a$ongon thetrip" Uma is trying to ca$$ 9amon when a rum%$e is fe$t throughout the%ui$ding" Inan instant, the room %uc!$es and chairs and other furniture gof$ying" (he cei$ingco$$apses, the e$ectricity f$ic!ers and fai$s, and the soundof running water can %e heard"Uma.s arm has %een inured and possi%$y%ro!en" Chapter 2

(he point of 'iew switches to Cameron, the *frican&*merican ma$e" (hechaos %rought on %y the earthua!e reminds him of his e8periences atwar" 6ut of %reath, he reaches for his inha$er, which has on$y fi'e doses$eft" Cameron c$ear$y !nows how to hand$e himse$f and how the groupshou$d %eha'e in a dangerous situation" *s someone from the groupattempts to open a stuc! door, Cameron stops him, warning that the%ui$ding is now unsta%$e and this cou$d cause further damage" * younger-us$im man refuses to $isten to Cameron and insists on attempting toopen the door" 9ea$iing that these actions wi$$ put a$$ of them in danger,Cameron gi'es the young man a ca$cu$ated %$ow on the %ac! of his headand the young man crump$es to the ground" Cameron apo$ogies to theother sur'i'ors in the room, who $ay stunned in the dar!" (he point of'iew then switches to -a$athi, an emp$oyee of the consu$ate" She offers aprayer for forgi'eness, %e$ie'ing that her recent actions cou$d ha'ecaused the earthua!e" She doesn.t want to fo$$ow the traditiona$ Indianpath for women ) getting married ) %ut instead wants to return to Indiato open a %eauty shop" -a$athi fee$s gui$ty %ecause she has had anongoing f$irtatious re$ationship with her %oss, -r" -anga$am, a marriedman" +e has %een showing fa'oritism to her o'er the other woman in theoffice"(he day %efore, he had gi'en her a %o8 of candy7 today, ust %eforethe earthua!e struc!, he !issed her" -a$athi notices that Cameron is

he$ping Uma, the young Indian woman with the %ro!en arm, to her feet"*s -r" -anga$am emerges from his office,-a$athi te$$s him that the



earthua!e is their fau$t" -r" -anga$am had tried to hide under his des!when the earthua!e hit, %ut the des! ending up s$iding and he wastrapped against the wa$$" (he deity his mother had gi'en him when hewent away to co$$ege was crushed" (his seems sym%o$ic to him" *s a %e$ie'er in!arma, he agrees that he must %e to %$ame for the earthua!e" Cameron %egins to

ta!e charge of the situation" +e as!s for a first aid !it for Uma and -a$athi fetches itfor him" (hen he %egins to ma!e a $ist of things to %e done ) e8its to %e chec!ed,food and water to %e secured" -a$athi %egins to sweep up de%ris"Chapter 3Uma ta!es aspirin, %ut that does $itt$e to he$p the pain of her %ro!en arm" (heyoungman who cha$$enged Cameron ear$ier is sti$$ passed out on the f$oor" -a$athireports thathis name is (ari ) a -us$im name, Uma rea$ies" She is em%arrassed%y thestereotypica$ thought that it is %ecause he is -us$im that he has %eha'ed'io$ent$y"Cameron chec!s for other inuries, assigns o%s from his $ist, and gi'esthem orders topoo$ their food together" (he o$der Chinese woman has a 'io$ent gash

on her arm7Cameron en$ists the woman.s granddaughter, 5i$y, to he$p him %andagethe wound" +ee8amines the room and rea$ies that they are trapped unti$ a rescueteam arri'es or thestuc! front door can %e opened safe$y" (o he$p %andage otherwounds, -a$athi is as!edto gi'e up her sari" She does so unwi$$ing$y, putting on asweatshirt and waiting in -r"-anga$am.s office, ashamed, unti$ she is coa8ed toreoin them"(ari awa!es, rea$ies that Cameron !noc!ed him out, and Umao'erhears him ma!e athreat to !i$$ Cameron"-rs" ritchett, the Caucasian woman,produces two ;ana8 pi$$s and gi'es them to Uma,who ta!es them and drifts intos$eep"(ari rea$ies it is after se'en p"m", and his tuss$e with Cameron has causedhim tomiss his e'ening prayers" +e had missed the ear$ier prayer %ecause he was

ashamedto ta!e out his rug and pray in pu%$ic" (ari ref$ects that, growing up in*merica, he washard$y de'out" (he Septem%er 11 attac!s and the war in*fghanistan ha'e $ed him toha'e arguments with friends a%out what -us$ims rea$$y%e$ie'e" *$so, he has %eeninf$uenced %y <arah, a de'out -us$im who came fromIndia on a scho$arship to study in *merica" She has cha$$enged his $ac! of!now$edge a%out -us$im cu$ture and his %$indacceptance of *mericanidea$s"Cameron ca$$s for them a$$ to come forward and ha'e something to eat" +einformsthem that he is a United States *rmy 'eteran" (ari cha$$enges his authority,admittingto himse$f that he wants to %e the one to sa'e them somehow"Chapter 4

Cameron portions out the food %etween them with the he$p of 5i$y, the teenage gir$"+efee$s that he has %een unust$y accused %y (ari, who seems to ha'e a chip onhisshou$der" ith his chi$dhood po'erty and the difficu$t circumstances of his own$ife, Cameron wants to $augh at (ari.s accusations" +owe'er, he has studied=andhi andfee$s %ad for !noc!ing (ari out, e'en though he !new it cou$d not %ea'oided"-a$athi re'ea$s that -r" -anga$am has a %athroom in his office" hi$e shewas in hisoffice changing out of her sari, -a$athi e8p$ored -r" -anga$am.s pri'ate%athroom,which she and the other office gir$s had $ong resented him for" She foundnothing of note in the office and went through his fi$e ca%inets, where shedisco'ered somethingshe decided to !eep a secret unti$ $ater"(he disco'ery of a

%athroom with running water $ifts e'eryone.s spirits" Cameron ordersa$$ a'ai$a%$e%ow$s and containers to %e fi$$ed with water" hen it is her turn in the%athroom,



Uma studies herse$f in the mirror and %egins to wonder a%out the $i'es ofher companions and why they want to tra'e$ to India" *s the others rest, -r"ritchett and Uma 'o$unteer to !eep watch" In the dar!, heta$!suncomforta%$y with Uma, re'ea$ing that his name >5ance? was after 5ance$ot,a$thoughhe is an accountant and has ne'er fe$t especia$$y ad'enturous" +e te$$s Uma

on$y thathe and his wife are going to India to stay in a pa$ace, %ut he does not saythat -rs"ritchett recent$y tried to !i$$ herse$f" -r" ritchett ref$ects to himse$f that hiswife has%een a changed person since she was re$eased from the hospita$, doped upon pi$$sprescri%ed %y a psychiatrist and doing on$y s$oppy house!eeping at %est" +efound anartic$e a%out o$d pa$aces in India con'erted into hote$s and showed it to-rs" ritchett"ecause it was the first spar! of $ife he had seen in her since herre$ease, he %oo!edthe trip for them"Uma ta!es -r" ritchett.s hand, which a$armshim, %ut she is on$y guiding his hand tofee$ the carpet, which is wet" -r" ritchettwants to wa!e e'eryone immediate$y, %utUma !eeps him uiet, insisting thate'eryone needs s$eep and the !now$edge won.t%enefit them in any way"

Chapter 5ater continues to seep in to the room where they are trapped" Cameron as!shimse$f,@hat wou$d you gi'e up to sa'e these peop$eAB ith no sign of rescue, he%e$ie'es it istime to try to open the door to the ha$$way" (he door doesn.t open %ysimp$y pu$$ing, sothey ma!e a human chain, ho$ding onto each other and pu$$ingsimu$taneous$y" (hedoor e'entua$$y comes open" Cameron urges caution as the%ui$ding may shift, %ut(ari, refusing to $isten, runs out into the ha$$way" Soon theyhear his scream amid acrush of fa$$ing de%ris"(he cei$ing has co$$apsed, trapping(ari" 5i$y is the on$y person sma$$ enough to craw$through an opening in the ru%%$e"ith a sma$$ f$ash$ight she c$im%s the unsta%$e pi$e of de%ris and $ocates (ari.s shoe"

+is foot mo'es s$ight$y, so she !nows he is a$i'e" Shewaits with him unti$ others canc$ear the ru%%$e to reach them"



-r" -anga$am, happy to cede a$$ authority to Cameron, %egins to

fo$$ow his orders tomo'e de%ris" +e has %een snea!ing into his office tosip from a %ott$e of i$d (ur!eyhiding in his fi$e ca%inet and then going tothe %athroom for mouthwash"hen (ari is reached hours $ater, he isconscious %ut scraped up" 5i$y ho$ds his hand,ru%%ing sa$'e into the cutson his face" She %rings him his uran for comfort" Cameronannouncesthat the stairwe$$ is %$oc!ed, and they wi$$ %e una%$e to use this for ane8it"(ari hears this and fee$s ashamed for his actions" +e tries again topray %ut finds hecannot remem%er the words"-rs" ritchett is stunned tohear a%out the %$oc!ed passage %ecause she fee$s she.smeant to go toIndia" She remem%ers a time much ear$ier in her $ife when she %a!edapeach pie and ate it with a friend" She p$ans to go to India for otherreasons than to seea pa$ace, a$though her hus%and is not aware of this"She tries to ta!e four ;ana8 %ut her hus%and stops her" She accuses him

of %eing uncaring and he fee$s she is ungratefu$for how he has watchedo'er her since her suicide attempt" +e snatches the pi$$ %ott$eaway fromher, em%arrassed that the others ha'e heard them fighting" -a$athiconfronts-r" ritchett, insisting that he return his wife.s medication" (hisstarts an argument%etween -r" -anga$am and -a$athi a%out interfering inother peop$e.s $i'es" *ngry,-a$athi te$$s e'eryone that -r" -anga$am has asecret stash of %our%on in his office andhints that he has %eha'edunprofessiona$$y toward her" -r" -anga$am is angry at thispu%$ichumi$iation, especia$$y after the nice !iss they shared that morning and hehitsher" -a$athi cries out and 5i$y gets in'o$'ed, swearing at him and

scratching his face"-r" -anga$am pushes 5i$y to the f$oor" (ari %eginshitting -r" -anga$am and he fights%ac! against (ari" (he others cry out,horrified, and -r" -anga$am fades intounconsciousness" Chapters 15 Analysis

In the aftermath of a de'astating earthua!e, nine peop$e are

trapped in the %asementof the Indian consu$ate where they ha'e %eenwaiting for 'isas" Di'a!aruni re'ea$simportant traits a%out the charactersone %y one, which a$$ows the reader to s$ow$ya%sor% the facts a%out ninedifferent peop$e"(wo of these peop$e are serious$y inured ) an o$derChinese woman, who has a gashon her arm, and Uma, a co$$ege student,

who has a %ro!en arm" (he earthua!e %ringsstrong emotions to thesurface immediate$y ) %eyond fear and panic, which perhaps areto %ee8pected" (wo men ) (ari, a young -us$im, and Cameron, a fiftyish*frican& *merican ) ost$e for a $eadership ro$e" Immediate$y, preudicesand suspicions rise tothe surface" It is one thing to %e seated ne8t to a-us$im or *frican&*merican manduring the regu$ar course of %usiness, %utanother thing entire$y to %e trapped with thesemen in the aftermath of anatura$ disaster" (hese thoughts occur to se'era$ of thecharacters,inc$uding Uma, who wi$$ soon emerge as a 'oice of reason" Uma isashamed of herse$f for these thoughts"



(he situation is 'ery %$ea! and uncertain and the characters do not act in a unifiedmanner, %ut rather as nine peop$e with nine different agendas" Soon, howe'er,Cameron emerges as an authority figure" +e ma!es the %est use of theirmeager resources and de'e$ops a p$an that wi$$ pro'ide for them unti$ they can %erescued" (arithwarts the p$an twice, howe'er, %e$ie'ing he can %e the hero and $ead

the others tosafety" Instead, he inures himse$f %y rushing into the unsta%$e ha$$wayas the cei$inga%o'e co$$apses" +is actions not on$y endanger himse$f %ut causeothers to ris! their $i'es to rescue him" +is youth and hotheadedness can %e seen as$ia%i$ities"Cu$tura$ differences are c$ear$y apparent not on$y in the actions of (ari, %uta$so in thewor!ers of the Indian consu$ate, -r" -anga$am and -a$athi" ar$ier in theday, thesetwo had e8changed a passionate !iss and their actions seemed to %e$eading them toan affair, %ut the earthua!e changes this" e$ie'ing that their i$$icit!iss has %rought udgment upon them, -a$athi and -r" -anga$am %egin anargument which resu$ts inphysica$ %$ows as others oin in to separatethem"Di'a!aruni, meanwhi$e, has %een f$oating in and out of 'arious character.s

points of 'iew" It is Uma whose point of 'iew most pu$$s the reader a$ong, as she isa%$e to 'iewthe others o%ecti'e$y" She has a natura$ curiosity a%out her companionsand thiscompe$s her to wonder a%out their 'arious reasons for needing a tra'e$ 'isa"Chapter !Cameron rushes to %rea! up the fight and has to use his inha$er again, a$though hehas'ery few doses $eft" (ari, resentfu$ at his intrusion, punches Cameron in thenose" (arihas to %e su%dued %y the others and 5i$y $eads him away" (rying to ta!echarge of thesituation, Uma addresses the group" In order to !eep them fromfighting or panic!ing,she proposes that they each te$$ an important story from their$i'es" It ta!es somecon'incing to get e'eryone to agree"(he Chinese grandmother

>iang? offers to go first" (his is a shoc!, since e'eryone,e'en her owngranddaughter, %e$ie'es she can on$y spea! -andarin" efore she can%egin, theyesta%$ish some ground ru$es ) no interruptions, no uestioning,no udgment" iang %egins her story" She grew up in Ca$cutta.s Chinatown,in a house wasfronted %y a %ric! @spirit wa$$B which !ept others from $oo!ing in"ehind the wa$$ was acourtyard, a %anuet ha$$ and %eautifu$ co$$ecti%$es, a$$ of whichiang was taught to!eep a secret from the non&Chinese" In 1EF2, twenty&fi'e&year&o$d iang was runningthe fami$y %usiness, <eng.s <ine <ootwear" She was happy withher o% and g$ad not to%e married" (hen a handsome young Indian man came intothe store with his younger sister and %ought three pairs of e8pensi'e shoes" iang

dated the man, -ohit Das,secret$y for months, %efore he as!ed iang.s father forpermission to marry" +er father refused on the grounds of their different cu$tures,%ut re$ented when he saw iang.stears" +e as!ed them to wait a year to ma!e sureit was what they wanted" -ohit.sfami$y, on the other hand, refused to appro'e of themarriage and -ohit mo'ed out of their home" (hen men appeared at <eng.s <ine<ootwear to threaten the %usiness andthe fami$y if iang continued to see -ohit"iang.s father confined her to their home"-ohit and iang, sti$$ 'ery much in $o'e,made p$ans to e$ope" hen the Chinese armyattac!ed an Indian patro$ in the+ima$ayas, war %etween India and China %ro!e out" (heChinese community inCa$cutta suffered" (he %usiness is c$osed" iang and her father,who had officia$ %irth

certificates, were a%$e to $ea'e" -ohit warned iang to $ea'eCa$cutta or %e sent to aninternment camp"iang.s father, desperate to get his chi$dren out of Ca$cutta,



arranged for a man named-r" Chan to ta!e them %y %oat to the United States"iang was uic!$y married to -r"Chan" +er %rother was sent to *ustra$ia" 6n %oardthe %oat to the United States, iang%ecame pregnant" In the United States, thefami$y sett$ed in Chinatown, %ought a sma$$grocery store and raised two chi$dren"iang was reunited with her %rother years $ater and now has p$ans to go to India

with her %rother"Chapter " *fter iang.s story, the others continue with their specific chores, eachthin!ing of thestory they ha'e ust heard" -r" -anga$am reca$$s how he had %eenin $o'e, %ut thememory has %een a$most wiped out" +e chec!s the office phones,which are sti$$ out" Inthe %athroom, -rs" ritchett considers ta!ing one of the ;ana8pi$$s she has %eenhiding, %ut decides to sa'e the pi$$s for $ater" hen they gatheragain, iang re'ea$s thatshe has an amendment to her story ) to not te$$ it wou$d %eto gi'e a fa$serepresentation of her $ife"She continues her story, saying that -r" Chanwas 'ery understanding of her situation,rea$iing that she must ha'e %een in $o'e

with someone e$se in India" +e did not forcehimse$f on her ) it was she who offeredherse$f to him" It wasn.t unti$ years $ater, whenthey had esta%$ished themse$'es in*merican, that she rea$ied she $o'ed him"5i$y 'o$unteers to te$$ her story ne8t, %utCameron as!s her to share her story $ater" *mused, she agrees" -r" ritchettinstead offers to go ne8t"Chapter #-r" ritchett.s story is from his chi$dhood" +e was raised %y a sing$e, wor!ingmother and his ear$iest memories are of his mother s$eeping on the couch in herunderwear" +efed himse$f cerea$ or peanut %utter and e$$y sandwiches and spentthe hours whi$e shewas s$eeping watching te$e'ision" 6n wee!ends he and his

mother s$ept $ate and read$i%rary %oo!s" (hen his neigh%or, who wor!ed part&time ina schoo$ cafeteria, %roughthim a sto$en math wor!%oo! and 5ance was hoo!ed" Itturned out he had a ta$ent for math" +is mother and -ary 5ou were friends, and5ance was friends with -ary 5ou.sson, immy, unti$ -ary 5ou and immy mo'edaway"

hen he was eight years o$d, 5ance found a sma$$ !itten when he was p$aying intheempty fie$d %ehind his apartment %ui$ding" +e wanted to !eep the !itten as apet, %ut hismother.s %oyfriend -ar'in didn.t $i!e pets, so 5ance was not a$$owed to!eep it" Insteadof getting rid of the cat, 5ance !ept it in an a%andoned freeer in the

%ac!yard, $inedwith his own c$othes" hen -ar'in was gone, 5ance wou$d propopen the freeer door so the !itten cou$d %reathe" 6ne day, he returned to find thefreeer door shut and the!itten suffocated" +e was de'astated, %ut his mother and-ar'in didn.t notice" *fter his mother died when he is in the fourth grade,5ance was sent to $i'e in a foster home" +is foster parents were decent peop$ewho !ept him we$$&fed and c$othed andmade sure his homewor! was finished" +ewent on to compete in math contests andma!e a name for himse$f, %ut the memoryof his mother reading to him in %ed sti$$reduced him to tears"hen he finishes hisstory, e'eryone is uiet" (he noise of water gurg$ing grows $ouder"Cameron ordersthem to ro$$ up their pant $egs and sit on top of the emp$oyee ta%$es,since the water

continues to rise" -r" -anga$am passes around sugar pac!ets ande'eryone ta!essome greedi$y" Cameron %rings %ac! ta%$ec$oths from the storage areaand they



wrap themse$'es in the ta%$ec$oths $i!e %$an!ets"-rs" ritchett remem%ers thatwhen she $earned they were not a%$e to ha'e chi$dren,she wanted to get a dog, %ut-r" ritchett had refused, saying that it wou$d dirty thecarpet" +e fina$$y re$ented, %utwhen they went to $oo! at dogs in a pet store, they had towa$! %y cat cages and he%egan to hyper'enti$ate" #ow she is angry that he wou$dn.t te$$her the truth"5i$y

again offers to te$$ her story and Cameron again as!s her to wait" -a$athi offerstote$$ her story, if -r" -anga$am wi$$ trans$ate from (ami$"Chapter $hen -a$athi fai$ed tenth grade for the second time, her parents decided it wastimeshe get married" In order to ta!e a %eautifu$ photograph for the matchma!er,-a$athiwas sent to -iss 5o$a.s 5o'e$y 5adies Sa$on, where she recei'ed the %rida$pac!age"+er parents. p$an %ac!fired, howe'er, %ecause -a$athi decided she wou$drather %ecome an emp$oyee in the sa$on than get married" +er parents were upset,%ut 5o$ag$ad$y too! -a$athi as one of her emp$oyees and her parents re$ented,%e$ie'ing thatsoon she wi$$ tire of wor!ing in the sa$on and %e ready to marry"6ne of

5o$a.s customers, -rs" a$an, was e8cessi'e$y wea$thy and haughty" *t first sheon$ya$$owed 5o$a to wor! on her hair, a$though e'entua$$y she %egan to trust -a$athiwithher care as we$$" *t the sa$on, -rs" a$an comp$ained a%out her son 9a'i,whowanted to he$p the poor in their city rather than %ecome a %usinessman" (hea$ansga'e him money to open a schoo$ and 9a'i %egan tutoring students"'entua$$y he a$so%egan to tutor the a$ans. ser'ants" 6ne night -rs" a$anwitnessed 9a'i tutoring#irma$a, a ser'ant gir$" hen the gir$ got something right,9a'i wou$d hug her" nraged,



-rs" a$an s$apped #irma$a.s chee! and chastised her son forming$ing with a ser'antgir$" 9a'i threatened his mother that if she sent#irma$a away, he wou$d return to *merica" -rs" a$an seemed to re$entand a$$owed #irma$a to stay" She e'en %roughther into 5o$a.s sa$on for afu$$ %eauty treatment, saying that #irma$a was going toaccompany her to'isit her re$ati'e -r" =opa$an, a wea$thy %ache$or p$ay%oy" #one of themsaw #irma$a again7 according to gossip, -r" =opa$an too! a $i!ing to#irma$a andshe ended up staying with him as his new gir$" -rs" a$anreturned, happy to ha'e#irma$a out of her way"hen she ne8t 'isited the%eauty sa$on, -a$anthi sought re'enge on %eha$f of #irma$a" * %otchedhair treatment caused -rs" a$an to $ose her hair and -a$anthi to $oseher o%" hen -a$athi returned, shamefaced$y, to e8p$ain her actions,5o$a surprised her %y%eing p$eased" She handed -a$athi a pouch fu$$ ofmoney and a $etter of recommendation so -a$athi cou$d get a o%o'erseas" Chapter 10

(he others discuss -a$athi.s story with interest, specu$ating on

whether 9a'i $o'ed#irma$a and why #irma$a stayed with =opa$an, andwondering how women cou$d %e socrue$ to each other"-eanwhi$e thecei$ing a%o'e them has %een crea!ing" Cameron warns them thatthecei$ing is $i!e$y to come down in the other room, %eyond the partition"hen thishappens, they wi$$ run for the doorways and try to protectthemse$'es there" -r" ritchett%egins to fantasie a%out $oc!ing himse$f in

-r" -anga$am.s %athroom to $ight acigarette" hen he goes to the%athroom, howe'er, -r" -anga$am fo$$ows him, and herea$ies the sme$$of smo!e wi$$ gi'e him away" -r" ritchett decides to wait unti$ $atertosmo!e" Chapter F&10 *na$ysis

*s a way to distract her companions from the tension of thesituation, Uma suggeststhat they each ta!e turns te$$ing an importantstory from their $i'es" Uma is no dou%tinspired %y (he Canter%ury (a$es

, which she was reading when the earthua!e struc!" *$though thereis some discussion a%out the idea, the others agree readi$y, perhapsfromthe re$ief of ha'ing a tangi%$e tas! at hand: to spea!, to $isten"Immediate$y, thestories ha'e a ca$ming effect on the group, which has tothis point %een fractured withdiffering opinions and persona$ities" hi$ethe %ui$ding is sti$$ crea!ing dangerous$yaround them, with water risingfrom the f$oor and the sme$$ of gas growing stronger, thegroup sett$esdown to hear each other.s stories"(he stories in these chapters are 'ariedin theme and scope, %ut each instant$y re'ea$sa deep $e'e$ of humanity inthe spea!ers" iang te$$s the story of growing up inCa$cutta.s Chinatown,where she fe$$ in $o'e with an Indian man" (heir re$ationshipseemed $i!e$y

to succeed despite cu$tura$ %arriers and his fami$y.s strong disappro'a$,%ut po$itica$ unrest %etween China and India made it necessary for her to f$ee



thecountry" *$though she $eft her first true $o'e and married someone e$se, iang.sstory isnot one of despair or regret" She $ater c$arifies that she did grow to $o'e herhus%andand has nothing %ad to report a%out him" #ow a widow, her unstatedreason for returning to India must %ear more weight than nosta$gia a$one" If there isanything todisco'er a%out her first $o'e, she wi$$ sure$y do that"-r" ritchett.s story is,

perhaps strange$y, one his wife does not seem to !now" +ischi$dhood in po'erty witha $o'ing, if somewhat neg$ectfu$, mother has shaped him intothe person he is today:an accountant, coo$, efficient and emotiona$$y detached" In -r"ritchett.s story, hisre$ationship with his mother deteriorates when she acuires a $i'e&in%oyfriend and%egins to focus on him" hen he disco'ers a sma$$ !itten in a near%yempty fie$d, heis not a$$owed to !eep it" +e %egins secret$y caring for the !itten on hisown unti$ oneday, most $i!e$y %y accident, the !itten suffocates" -r" ritchett isde'astated andfee$s %$an! inside" +is mother dies not $ong after and he grows up infoster care,pro'ided for physica$$y %ut detached emotiona$$y" +is wife, mu$$ing o'er hisstory,considers that it has %een hard for her not to ha'e chi$dren, %ut -r" ritchettwou$d

not e'en a$$ow her to adopt a dog as a companion"-a$athi.s story is one of a younggir$ defying the e8pectations of her parents and her cu$ture" Instead of ma!ingherse$f a'ai$a%$e for marriage, -a$athi decided she wanted towor! at a %eauty sa$onin her hometown in India, where she fe$t a deep camaraderiewith the other women"hen she too! re'enge on a wea$thy woman who %roughtdisgrace upon a ser'antgir$, -a$athi was forced to $ea'e the sa$on and her hometown,a$though she hoped toreturn to India one day to open a sa$on of her own" -a$athi.sstory re'ea$s her innatesense of ustice and sympathy for the underdog ) %ut she hasnot %een %eha'ingthis way in the United States, where she has %een e8cited to see her f$irtatiousre$ationship with -r" -anga$am, a married man, de'e$op further" *s they resume

their chores, fo$$owing the routine Cameron has esta%$ished toconser'etheir resources, the stories continue to resonate inside the minds of each$istener"Chapter 11(ari te$$s his story" +e was sitting in the campus uad with some of his -us$imfriends$oo!ing at gir$s when he recei'ed a phone ca$$ from his mother, *mmi" +eref$ects thatthe fami$y anitoria$ ser'ice has not %een doing we$$ since the Septem%er11 attac!s" *mmi was ca$$ing with terri%$e news: +is father and +anif,assistant manager of the anitoria$ ser'ice, were arrested that morning atwor!, and she was not a%$e to $earnanything a%out the arrest" In the days that

fo$$owed, *mmi and (ari ca$$ed on friendsfor he$p, %ut no one was a%$e >or wi$$ing?to he$p" (hey hired a $awyer at great e8pense"<ina$$y, without e8p$anation, (ari.sfather was re$eased and returned home" +e wasuiet at first %ut %eginning to returnto norma$ when he suffered a stro!e that para$yedhis $eft side" (ari %e$ie'ed thego'ernment is to %$ame for what happened to his father, %ut he soon rea$ied thathe has no $ega$ recourse and to pursue the matter wou$d %ringmore trou%$e uponhis fami$y" +e considered mo'ing to India with his fami$y and to %ewith <arah, %uthis friend *$i offered to he$p him out" *$i %e$onged to a group of -us$imswho he$pedeach other out and found other -us$ims emp$oyment, he said" (ari 'isitedhis houseto find it fu$$ of handmade signs and pamph$ets" *t this point, the cei$ing

co$$apses in the ne8t room with a massi'e crac!" 'eryonerushes to thedoorways to ta!e co'er, and the water is now up to their ca$'es" (heir remaining



water containers are now fi$$ed with de%ris" (hey chec! the %athroom, %utwater isno $onger coming from the tap" (hrough the ho$e a%o'e where the cei$ingco$$apsed,the can now see a thin %eam of sun$ight from the f$oor a%o'e" Cameronassesses thedamage and finds a human %ody in the de%ris" +e does not te$$ the otherswhat hehas found"(ari resumes his story, saying he doesn.t !now if *$i and his friends were

terrorists" 5i$ysays that if he comes %ac! to *merica, he can stay with her fami$y"Chapter 1%It is fina$$y 5i$y.s turn to te$$ her story" *s a chi$d, she says, she was a @p$easerB"She$i'ed in the shadow of her %rother -ar!, who had an aptitude for science andwanted to%e a cancer researcher" ecause her parents didn.t seem to notice herwhen she was%eha'ing $i!e a good gir$, 5i$y %egan dressing in %$ac!, diso%eying herparents, ignoringher chores and hanging around with %ad inf$uences" *$though herparents were upsetand grounded her, 5i$y didn.t want to go %ac! to the %oredom of%eing a good gir$"hen -ar! ga'e 5i$y his o$d f$ute, 5i$y %egan to go the par! topractice using his o$dsheet music" She spent hours practicing and %ecame 'ery

good, p$aying se$ections fromach, +ande$ and -oart" 5i$y p$ayed for -ar!, whoto$d her she had a gift" She p$ayedfor her parents, who are stunned" She %egan togi'e concerts, and her parents andaudience mem%ers heaped praise on her" Sheput away her dar! c$othes"+owe'er, one day %efore a maor music competition, 5i$ywo!e up fee$ing a strangehea'iness and didn.t want to practice her f$ute" She ca$$ed-ar!, who was ust wa!ingup a$though it was past noon" She %ecame 'ery worrieda%out him" During the concert,5i$y froe and cou$d not finish her piece" She to$d herparents she was not going to doany more concerts and that she thought -ar! wasin trou%$e" +er parents weredisappointed in her and in -ar!, who they found outhad %een fai$ing c$asses, drin!ingand hanging around with %ad inf$uences"5i$y went

to the par! one more time and p$ayed unti$ her $ips hurt" She fe$t hands on her faceand found that the hands %e$onged to a %oy who had Down.s syndrome"Shecontinued p$aying, and more !ids with Down.s syndrome sat and $istened to her"



Uma remem%ers that her father had p$ayed the guitar when he was

in co$$ege and her mother had met him as an adoring fan" She reca$$s thather parents had e'en moresurprises in store for her when she was inco$$ege"(he sur'i'ors eat the $ast of the food, inc$uding what peop$e hadpre'ious$y %eenwithho$ding ) carrot stic!s, a wheat ro$$, truff$es" hen -r"ritchett again heads for the%athroom, Cameron demands that he turn inhis $ighter and cigarettes and -r" ritchettcomp$ies, angri$y" -rs" ritchett,$ost in her own thoughts, remem%ers that her friendDe%%ie.s father hadagreed to $et them run his %a!ery for si8 months" *t that point-rs"ritchett had %egun dating the man who wou$d soon %e her hus%and,and she turnsdown the offer" #ow she worries that her hus%and is sti$$p$anning to smo!e in the%athroom, where he has %een trying to push shutthe door, e8p$aining that he isconstipated" -r" -anga$am interrupts him inthe %athroom, catching him in the act of trying to $ight a smugg$ed

cigarette" hen the two men return to the group, they aresoa!ed" (heyget out of their wet c$othes and try to warm up" Cameron as!s 5i$y top$ayher f$ute" She p$ays a short song as the $ast few rays of $ight dieaway" Chapter 13



-r" -anga$am %egins his story" hen he was a chi$d, an astro$ogist

predicted that hewou$d %ring fortune to his fami$y through his face" *s aresu$t, he was spoi$ed amongsthis si%$ings" +e attended uni'ersity, %utsuspected this wou$d not %e enough to $ift hisfami$y.s circumstances, asthey were e8pecting" hi$e in co$$ege, he oined a c$u% tomeet inf$uentia$peop$e and impressed them with his inte$$igent comments ) the resu$tof ca$cu$ated research" +e was a$so ath$etic and good&$oo!ing, and soonmet #aina, thedaughter of a go'ernment officia$" +e confessed $o'e forher, %ut in the ne8t %reathac!now$edged that he was unworthy of her"(his romantic out%urst had its desired effectand #aina %egged her fatherto a$$ow the marriage" +er father e'entua$$y agreed,insisting on$y that -r"-" !eep his daughter happy" *fter their wedding, #aina changed,orderinghim around, %uying e8pensi'e things for herse$f on her own a$$owanceandreminding him of his $ow circumstances" She refused to attend hissister.s wedding andrefused to a$$ow his parents to stay with them during

a 'isit" -r" -anga$am.s parents,understanding the insu$t, changed theirp$ans to 'isit"9ea$iing his marriage was a mista!e, -r" -anga$amconfided in 5ati!a, an accountantin his office" 'entua$$y their friendship%ecame an affair" -r" -anga$am to$d #aina hewanted a di'orce andreuested a transfer to a sma$$er office in the countryside wherehe cou$de'entua$$y start o'er with 5ati!a" #aina responded %y ma!ing a phoneca$$, andthe ne8t day 5ati!a was arrested on a charge of em%e$ementand -r" -anga$amfound out that his transfer had %een denied" 5ati!a,frightened, mo'ed away" -r"-anga$am, sti$$ trapped in his marriage, gotre'enge on his wife %y f$irting and ha'ingaffairs with her friends in order

to shame her" *s a resu$t, he was gi'en a go'ernmentpost in the UnitedStates and was a%$e to $i'e far away from his wife"Cameron finds hecannot focus on the story ) he.s ha'ing a 'ision of Se'a at anorphanage"'ery time he comes c$ose to her, she runs away %efore he can reach her"

*s -r" -anga$am ta$!s, a $ight fi8ture %egins to s$ow$y sway o'erhead" -r"-anga$amapo$ogies for how he treated -a$athi and she accepts hisapo$ogy"Cameron has a coughing fit and uses the $ast dose of his inha$er"Chapter 1113 Analysis(he stories in these chapters, which continue despite the deterioration of

their %asement $ocation, each show the weight of fami$ia$ e8pectations andresponsi%i$ities,especia$$y as re$ates to chi$dren and their parents"(ari.s story showsa man at odds with two cu$tures: *merica, where his fami$y has$i'ed and %enefitedfinancia$$y through their %usiness, and -us$im India, where he hasdeep rootsthrough his fami$y and his gir$friend" *fter the Septem%er 11 attac!s, (ari.sfami$y.s anitoria$ %usiness %egins to f$ounder when *mericans are hesitant to hire-us$ims,e'en those who ha'e %een in the United States for years" (hen his father andawor!er at the anitoria$ company are arrested and detained with no e8p$anation,c$ear$yfor %eing suspects in terrorist acti'ity" (here is no e'idence that (ari.s fatherisin'o$'ed with terrorism or e8tremist groups, %ut whi$e his fami$y wor!s to free him,

(arihimse$f %ecomes more and more uneasy of *merican cu$ture and aware thathe is anoutsider" +is gir$friend <arah %egins his education a%out -us$im cu$ture, and



a group of young -us$ims ta!es (ari under his wing" It is not c$ear if (ari has p$ansto %ein'o$'ed in e8tremist actions, %ut he does not seem to strugg$e against thisidea" C$ear$ythe (ari of the opening chapters is distrustfu$ of others and yet $oo!ingmisguided$y to%e praised for heroic actions"5i$y, the youngest mem%er of the group,ne'erthe$ess has a powerfu$ story" She has$i'ed in her %rother.s shadow for too $ong,

and to attract notice from her parents, she%egins to wear %$ac! and act out" henher %rother gi'es her his f$ute, 5i$y now has away to e8press her own indi'idua$itythrough music and a$so attract her parents.appro'a$" +er mastery of the f$ute pointsto an o%'ious innate s!i$$ %ut a$so dedication )it too! many hours of pri'ate practicefor her to reach an accomp$ished $e'e$" 5i$y.ssuccess is tied to her %rother.s,howe'er7 when he %egins to fa$$ apart at his uni'ersity,she $oses the desire to p$aythe f$ute, causing %oth si%$ings to disappoint their parents"5i$y.s f$ute&p$aying is notdestined for concert ha$$s, it appears, %ut she is thri$$ed to p$ayfor an audience ofDown.s syndrome chi$dren and a$so p$ays a song for the grouptrapped in theconsu$ate %asement"-r" -anga$am.s story is a$so one of fami$ia$ e8pectations" *s a

'ery young chi$d, he ispronounced the !ey to his fami$y.s prosperity" +eac!now$edges that he grew upspoi$ed, getting the 'ery %est whi$e his sisters wentwithout" ut a$though he succeedsacademica$$y, -r" -anga$am is %urdened %y thefear that he wi$$ disappoint his fami$y"(his causes him to marry a woman he admitshe does not tru$y $o'e, and then to spendyears %eing %e$itt$ed %y her for ha'ing $essmoney and poor re$ations" hen he cannot escape his marriage to %e with awoman he tru$y does $o'e, he a%andons his mora$sand tries to e8act humi$iationupon his wife" Unti$ the moment he te$$s this story, -r"-anga$am does not seem tofee$ any remorse for his actions" *fter he te$$s the story, heapo$ogies to -a$anthi fortrying to ma!e her ust one more woman in a string of womenwho mean nothing to

him"Chapter 14-rs" ritchett %egins her story %y descri%ing a day in her comforta%$e, modern homeasshe prepares a dinner for her hus%and.s c$ients" She has $unch in a cafG, whereshesees an o$der coup$e, 'ery much in $o'e" (he man he$ps the woman out of hercoat, and-rs" ritchett rea$ies this !ind of $o'e is missing from her own $ife"*$though she $ac!sfor nothing, her $ife is essentia$$y empty" *fter dinner with herhus%and and his c$ients,she goes to the guest room to $ie down and ta!es an entire%ott$e of s$eeping pi$$s" utinstead of dying, she 'omits up the pi$$s and is %rought tothe hospita$"In the hospita$, -rs" ritchett is depressed" *n Indian nurse 'isits her,

and soon -rs"ritchett is uestioning her own actions" She returns to the scene shehas %eenremem%ering throughout the %oo!, of %eing an eighteen&year&o$d sitting ata ta%$e withher friend, De%%ie" -rs" ritchett ga'e up her chance to run the %a!eryand insteadmo'ed to (u$sa with -r" ritchett" *s she finishes te$$ing this story, thenurseencourages her to stop %$aming her hus%and and herse$f %ut instead to acceptthecircumstances of her $ife and change from the inside out" (he nurse, it turns out,is $i!e$yone of -rs" ritchett.s ha$$ucinations"-rs" ritchett confesses that she umpedat the chance to go to India when her hus%andsuggested it" 6nce they arri'ed, shewas p$anning to $ea'e her hus%and and %egin anew $ife in India"(he story ma!esUma thin! a%out 9amon" (his time, instead of seeing his face, shepictures an Indian

man and wonders if this is the destiny waiting for her India"Cameron, his chestaching, rea$ies he can no $onger put off te$$ing his own story"



Chapter 15Cameron.s story %egins in the recent past, when he was on his way to 'o$unteer asagardener for a hospice center" 6n the %us, he meets a man named eff, whoheconsiders to %e a ho$y man" Cameron is ho$ding onto gui$t from somethingthathappened thirty %efore, when he met a gir$ named Imani at a party and %egan

are$ationship with her" Cameron was on trac! to attend a uni'ersity after graduation,%utImani was content to wor! at urger Hing and attend a communityco$$ege" hen Imani%ecame pregnant, Cameron insisted that she get an a%ortion"<urious, Imani %ro!e upwith him" *s she wa$!ed away for the $ast time, Cameron%e$ie'ed that she has put acurse on him when she said, @#o matter where you run,you %e ending with ashes inyour mouth"B 5ater, he $earned that she did ha'e ana%ortion"In co$$ege, Cameron de'e$oped asthma and $ost his ath$etic scho$arship" +e uitschoo$and oined the army at the end of the ietnam ar" +e spent his career in thearmy,often ser'ing o'erseas and witnessing a num%er of atrocities" *fter the war,

he'o$unteered at the hospice center and other p$aces hoping to c$eanse himse$f ofhis gui$tand ma!e a positi'e difference" +e !eeps meeting eff at the hospice centerand they%ecome friends" eff encourages him to sponsor a chi$d in another country"Cameron isassigned to a gir$ named Se'a at an orphanage in India" *fter years ofwriting $etters, hedecides to 'isit her, fi$$ing his suitcase with toys"Chapter Si&teenCameron.s story is interrupted %y a powerfu$ aftershoc!" 'eryone rushes forthedoorway" Uma rea$ies that Cameron has not oined them in the doorway, %utisshi'ering on the ta%$e, fighting for each %reath" (he sme$$ of gas has %eengrowingsteadi$y stronger and the water continues to rise" Soon the water wi$$ %e as

high as theta%$etops"Uma %egins her story %y saying that she chose a co$$ege faraway from her parents"<rom a%o'e, the sur'i'ors hear sounds that cou$d mean arescue is at hand" (heydecide to try to ma!e contact with peop$e a%o'e" (hey wor!together, mo'ing a sofa tostand on" (hey scream %ut do not hear a response"e$ie'ing the gas wi$$ soon !i$$ them,Uma continues her story" *t her co$$ege in(e8as, Uma had wee!$y phone ca$$s with her parents" 6ne day, her fatherto$d her he was going to as! her mother for a di'orce, that he on$y stayed withher mother for Uma.s sa!e and now she was an adu$t and no $onger needed them"+eas!ed her not to say anything to her mother unti$ the ne8t wee!"Uma reacted tothis news drastica$$y" She stopped attending c$ass, indu$ged ine8pensi'e mea$s and

%egan acting rec!$ess$y" hen eri, a woman in her !ic!%o8ingc$ass, announced thatshe had %ro!en up with her %oyfriend and was mo'ing to #ewJor!, Uma offered todri'e" She c$eaned out her sa'ings account and she and eri%egan dri'ing" Soonthey pic!ed up a hitchhi!er, a young man named 9ip$ey" (heydran! and smo!edmariuana, and eri and 9ip$ey had se8 in the %ac! seat of Uma.scar" hen theystopped $ater that night, the three of them witnessed the aurora %orea$is,which hada c$eansing effect on Uma" She changed course and returne to her co$$egedorm,dropping off eri and 9ip$ey a$ong the way" She saw that she has a num%erof missed ca$$s from her father, and when she returned his ca$$s, he re'ea$ed that hehadmade a mista!e and wi$$ not %e see!ing a di'orce" Uma promised not to te$$ her

mother"In the time since that day, Uma has distanced herse$f from her parents, whonow $i'e inIndia" 6n this 'isit, she p$ans to come c$ean with them"





(here are more sounds from o'erhead, %ut it is impossi%$e to te$$ if

these sounds are asign of impending rescue or impending co$$apse"$aster fa$$s on them, co'ering them inits dust" Uma finishes her story %ysaying that years $ater, eri trac!ed her down" #owdying, eri wanted to!now if what they saw in the s!y was the aurora %orea$is or afigment ofher imagination" Uma assured her that it was the aurora %orea$is anderirep$ied that she was happy that in her $ife she was a%$e to see this oneamaing thing"(he c$an!ing continues o'erhead, and they wait to see ifthe sounds signa$ rescue or catastrophe" Chapter 14&1F *na$ysis In these chapters, the situation %ecomes much more dire, and it is

c$ear that somethingwi$$ happen soon ) death or rescue" (he stories theyha'e to$d now ser'e as a g$ue to%ind the disparate group mem%erstogether" In fact, a$though there is rea$ cause for panic, it is inconcei'a%$ethat each person wou$d not ha'e a chance to te$$ a story"-rs" ritchett.sstory is one of emptiness" +er marriage has not fu$fi$$ed her, she hasnochi$dren, and her easy, comforta%$e $ife has %ored her to the point ofsuicide" *fter theattempt fai$ed, a chance encounter >which may ha'e%een a ha$$ucination? with anIndian woman %egins to gi'e her $ife someperspecti'e" Instead of %$aming others, shemust rea$ie that she had anacti'e ro$e in her own choices" She re'ea$s the reason shehas agreed to atrip to India ) amongst the country.s %i$$ion peop$e, she p$ans to shedhero$d $ife and %egin anew"Cameron.s story is one of gui$t o'er his chi$d, who

was a%orted more than thirty yearsear$ier" It is on$y through thesponsoring of an Indian chi$d, Se'a, that he has recapturedsome of thepurpose in his $ife" +e fee$s a deep sense of responsi%i$ity to hisfe$$owsur'i'ors, perhaps %e$ie'ing that his own gui$t has fo$$owed him tothis situation and hisown actions can sa'e the others and a%so$'e him ofhis gui$t" +e grows increasing$ywea! as his story progresses, ha'ing useda$$ the medication in his inha$er" * powerfu$aftershoc! interrupts his storyand Cameron is una%$e to mo'e to safety with the others"It is not c$earthat he wi$$ sur'i'e, e'en if a rescue crew were to appear on thesceneimmediate$y"Uma.s story ends the ta$es as the group reaches its

uncertain destination at the end of a$ong ourney" +ers is a story of%rea!ing away from the parenta$ mo$d, despite a happychi$dhood" Shepurpose$y chose a co$$ege far away from her parents and now thattheyha'e re$ocated to India, she $i'es ha$f a wor$d away" Jet e'en inco$$ege she fe$t c$ose$yentwined with her parents. $i'es7 when her fatherto$d her he wou$d %e as!ing her mother for a di'orce, Uma.s reaction wasdrastic" ithout the safety and sta%i$ity of her home$ife >e'en she no$onger $i'e at home?, she fe$t unmoored and ready to em%ar! on anew ourney" #ow, a$though she $o'es her *merican %oyfriend 9amon,it is not c$ear if shewi$$ return to *merica or if the trip to India wi$$ %e a

$aunching point to yet another ourney in her $ife"



(he story ends with the fate of the group in the 'isa office sti$$

un!nown" Do the soundsa%o'e signa$ impending doom or imminentrescueA *$though that is $eft up to thereader.s interpretation, it is c$earthat the group is in a far %etter p$ace menta$$y andemotiona$$y than themoment the earthua!e hit" (he tragedy that they ha'ee8perienced andthe hea$ing stories they shared ha'e made them more accepting of eachother, and of the fate that awaits them" 'a(or Chara)ter Analysis

*ma

Uma is a young co$$ege student tra'e$ing to India to 'isit her

parents" She is in $o'e witha man named 9amon, a scientist" hen theearthua!e stri!es, her arm is serious$ywounded or %ro!en" hi$e shewas waiting to o%tain her 'isa, she was reading =eoffreyChaucer.s Canter%ury (a$es7 this gi'es her the idea, $ater on, for each of them to te$$ astory to

pass the time whi$e they wait for rescue" It is u$timate$y this story te$$ingthatpro'es to %e their sa$'ation7 without it, the group wou$d ha'econtinued to %ic!er, usephysica$ force against each other and succum% tostereotypes a%out gender, race,nationa$ity and re$igion" Uma.s own storyre'ea$s that she is a 'ery sta%$e gir$ who oncedid something unpredicta%$eand potentia$$y dangerous, yet that e8perience a$$owed her to see at $eastone amaing thing in her $ife" Cameron

Cameron, an *frican&*merican who is retired from a mi$itary career,

immediate$y putshis sur'i'a$ training to use and assumes contro$ after theearthua!e" +e is not afraid touse physica$ force to !eep others from%eha'ing foo$ish$y, which is witnessed when he!noc!s (ari unconscious inthe immediate aftermath of the earthua!e" *$though he isphysica$$ystrong in many ways, Cameron.s asthma and dependence on aninha$er wea!ens him as the story continues" +e seems to fee$ it is his dutyto sa'e this group of peop$e and he wonders what he might gi'e up toma!e sure that the others sur'i'e" +ehas %een searching, through thehe$p of a ho$y man, for a way to a%so$'e himse$f from$ife$ong gui$t o'er hishigh schoo$ gir$friend.s a%ortion" *s his %reathing %ecomes$a%ored, it isunc$ear at the end whether Cameron cou$d sti$$ sur'i'e if a rescuecrewwas indeed approaching, %ut Cameron himse$f seems to %e contentwith this" +ismission was to %ring the group to safety, and he has fu$fi$$ed) or at $east, 'ery near$y )this duty" 'r+ and 'rs+ Prit)hett

*s the on$y married coup$e in this group, the ritchetts ha'e spent manyyears of married $ife together %ut sti$$ seem as if they do not !now eachother or how to ma!eeach other happy" -r" ritchett.s story re'ea$s achi$dhood of po'erty and neg$ect7 as anadu$t he seems perfect$y suited tonot ha'ing chi$dren or e'en a pet" +e has asuccessfu$ career as anaccountant and enoys the amenities of his success" -rs"ritchett c$ear$y

fee$s as if she has ta!en a wrong turn in $ife7 her suicide attempt wasaway to remo'e herse$f from what she saw as a painfu$, empty e8istence"



6'er and o'er,her thoughts return to a moment when she was eighteenyears o$d eating a piece of peach co%%$er with a gir$friend" She had achance to run a %a!ery with this friend, %utended up marrying instead"She no $onger %e$ie'es that suicide is the answer, %ut wou$d$i!e to starto'er in $ife" *$though the circumstances of the earthua!e and %eing

trappedunderground affect a$$ of the sur'i'ors and ser'e to %ring themc$oser together, -r" and -rs" ritchett do not re!ind$e a romance with each other"*t %est, they come to a c$earer understanding of who they ha'e married"Tari,(ari, a co$$ege&aged -us$im, is the youngest ma$e of the group and actsoutaggressi'e$y" +e is not wi$$ing to cede authority to Cameron and is ready at anytime tocome to %$ows when he has %een cha$$enged or to protect a woman.s honor"+ise8periences in $ife ) especia$$y the arrest of his father for no other reason thanhisnationa$ity and re$igion ) ha'e taught him to %e distrustfu$ of others and a$so tosee! theappro'a$ of others for his own actions" +e wants desperate$y to %e admired7

it is thisdesire that causes him to %eha'e rec!$ess$y at times, putting himse$f andothers indanger" +e may not yet %e in'o$'ed in an e8tremist -us$im group, %ut it isc$ear that(ari at the %eginning of the story fee$s ready to %e a martyr" y the end of his timetrapped in the %asement, (ari seems ca$mer and more in contro$ of hisactions"'r+ 'angalam - 'alathi-r" -anga$am and -a$athi are the two Indian consu$ate emp$oyees who aretrappedwith their c$ients after the earthua!e" ach of them fee$s a sense ofresponsi%i$ity for the earthua!e7 on$y moments %efore, they had !issed in -r"-anga$am.s office,a$though he is married and she is we$$ aware of the fact" (hey are

%oth, as re'ea$ed intheir stories, wor!ing in *merica as a punishment for %ad%eha'ior ) -a$athi for %urninga$$ the hair off the sca$p of a haughty upper&c$asswoman, and -r" -anga$am for ha'ingan affair and em%arrassing his wea$thy wife.sfami$y" *$though they had a$$owed their f$irtation to ad'ance to the point of apassionate !iss, neither of them shows any sign of true affection for each other inthe aftermath of the earthua!e" oth, gi'en the chance,wou$d happi$y return toIndia if it meant they cou$d %egin new $i'es for themse$'es".iang - /ilyiang, an e$der$y Chinese woman, stuns her granddaughter when she re'ea$s thatshecan spea! ng$ish ) a fact she has !ept hidden for years" She has in fact !ept

her ear$y$ife hidden for a$$ the years when she was in *merica, where she wasmarried to a goodman, raised her chi$dren, and ran a grocery store" +er return toIndia is %oth practica$ )she wi$$ %e meeting up with her %rother ) and romantic7India is the site of her first $o'e"5i$y, young and !indhearted, in many ways is theg$ue that ho$ds the group together"She he$ps to ca$m (ari when he %ecomeso'ere8cited7 she %rings him his uran whenhe needs encouragement" +er story isone of youthfu$ determination and finding her p$ace in the wor$d" *$though sheprofesses to ha'e gi'en up the f$ute, it is c$ear that her path has not %eendetermined"





particu$ar room at this particu$ar moment, the mere fact that they are p$anning atripshows the 0or)e they are attempting to e&ert over their owndestinies" -rs" ritchett, for e8amp$e, sees India as a p$ace to $ose her o$d se$f and %egin

anew" Cameron fee$s his destiny awaits him in the young orphan gir$ he hassponsored" (ari, %y going to India, may %e cementing his fate as a -us$ime8tremist ) or escaping that fate, which was $ur!ing for him in *merica"Di'a!aruni%rings together 'arious ages, races, nationa$ities and re$igions in this sma$$assem%$age of characters" It is thisdi'ersitythat initia$$y sets them apart from each other, causing misunderstandings andsuspicions" It is a$so this di'ersity that a$$ows for such a wide range of stories to %eshared, and u$timate$y gi'es each character a different perspecti'e or insight intothe

humanityof his or her other companions" Se'era$ of the stories shared %y the charactersemphasie thero$e of fami$ia$ o%$igationsin shaping a person.s $ife, and how on$y %y escaping these o%$igations can a persontru$y find happiness and persona$ fu$fi$$ment" iang, who $eft India years %efore at theurging of her father to %egin a new $ife in the United States, wi$$ now ha'e a chanceto e8p$ore possi%i$ities in the $ife she $eft %ehind" +er granddaughter, 5i$y, disco'ersthat her $o'e of music can %e separated from her desire to p$ease herparents"-a$athi thwarted her fami$y.s e8pectation of an arranged marriage, and

-anga$am,hoping to honor his fami$y, has a$$owed his $ife to %e ruined %y hischoices" Soon after the initia$ o$t of the earthua!e, Uma fee$s moisture seepinginto the carpet" *s the group progresses through the hours, thewater $e'e$continues to rise" Soon it is not enough to sit in chairs, and the mem%ers hudd$etogether on ta%$etops" #ear the end of the %oo!, water has reached the height ofthe ta%$es, and soon they wi$$ %e forced to sit with chairs on top of the ta%$es" hi$ethe water $e'e$ is a constant threat to the sur'i'a$ of the group, it a$so forces theminto c$ose pro8imity, a physica$ c$oseness which is soon %y the emergence of afee$ing of so$idarity through the storyte$$ing"

Cameron2s inhalera$$ows him to %reathe7 it is, for him, a $ife$ine" hen the earthua!e hits, he has fi'edoses $eft in his inha$er and he thin!s, ruefu$$y, of a fu$$ inha$er waiting at his home"ach time he doses himse$f with the medication, he is essentia$$y one step c$oser torunning out of $ife" (hese doses coincide with the situation spira$ing out of contro$ inthe %asement of the consu$ate ) passageways %eing %$oc!ed, water rising, thecei$ing co$$apsing" *t the end of the story, Cameron has used his $ast dose" It is not ust his $ife which is in eopardy, %ut the $i'es of e'eryone in the group"'alathi2s sari9epresents her cu$ture, womanhood, femininity and station in $ife" <or the sa!e of

the sur'i'a$ of the group, the fa%ric is a necessary resource to %andage wounds"hen she gi'es up the sari and dons a sweatshirt donated %y another mem%er of



the group, she seems to $ose her touch with her cu$tura$ identity" *$though to theeyes of the others she is far more co'ered >decent? than %efore, she fee$s e8posedwithout her sari"Cigarettes al)ohol and pillsare hoarded %y 'arious mem%ers of the group )cigarettes %y -r" ritchett, a %ott$e

of i$d (ur!ey %y -r" -anga$am, and anti&an8iety pi$$s %y -rs" ritchett" *$thoughthese o%ects ser'e a 'ery rea$ purpose for their dai$y $i'es, they a$so represent thehidden aspects of each of the characters" ssentia$$y, in te$$ing their stories, eachmem%er of the group is re'ea$ing a secret or a 'ice" It is on$y when these secretsand 'ices come to $ight through their stories that the te$$er can %e re$eased of thatparticu$ar %urden"6n her i$$&concei'ed ourney from (e8as to #ew Jor!, Uma witnesstheAuroraorealis, or northern $ights" (he e8perience is surrea$ and %reathta!ing, and ser'es toremind Uma somehow a%out her own purpose in $ife ) which does not inc$ude eri

or 9ip$ey" She changes course and returns to co$$ege" Jears $ater, eri as!s her if theaurora %orea$is was rea$ or a figment of her imagination" Uma has %een consideringthis as we$$, %ut they decide that sometimes $ife can hand you, uite simp$y, oneamaing thing"



1 mportant 6uotes 0or *nderstanding

One Amazing Thing

1" @(he photo frames had %een pro'ided %y the consu$ate to a$$ itsofficers, with strict instructions to fi$$ and disp$ay them" It wou$d ma!e the*mericans who came to the office fee$ more comforta%$e, they were to$d,since *mericans %e$ie'ed that the presence of a smi$ing fami$y on a man.sta%$e was proof of his mora$ sta%i$ity"B 2" @(here had ne'er %een a time when so many adu$ts

had depended on her for something crucia$, something they cou$d not do"It made her fee$ ta$$er"B 3" @*po$ogie to a woman and she wou$d gain the upper hand"-anga$am !new %etter than to $et that happen"B 4" @9emo'ed from the e$egant choreography of the chants he

depended on, he was stumped" hat did peop$e say to their -a!er,

anywayA In which tone did they register their comp$aints or p$easAB K" @.'eryone has a story,. said Uma, re$ie'ed that one of them was

considering the idea" LI don.t %e$ie'e anyone can go through $ife withoutencountering at $east one amaing thing".B F" @(hey were ready to $isten to one another" #o, they were ready to

$isten to the story, which is sometimes greater than the person whospea!s it"B M" @hen I to$d him I $o'ed -ohit he said, Can fish $o'e %irdsAB

N" @<orgi'e me, he said" I $o'e you, %ut I can.t fight a who$e

country"B

E" @Is the %oy unhappyA #o" hen you.'e !nown on$y one thinga$$ your $ife, you accept it as natura$"B 10" @.<rom ha'ing put up my story against the others, I can see this

much: e'eryone suffers in different ways" #ow I don.t fee$ so a$one".B



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One Amazing Thing - Super Summary Study Guide

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