A Real Durwan

Whenever she shares her origin story, Boori Ma tells her audience that it’s up to them whether they believe her, but the luxuries she describes are beyond what they can imagine. The residents make up their minds that she is lying, but the reader may still believe her. Why does Lahiri leave this ambiguity in Boori Ma’s story, and how would each interpretation—the protagonist’s honesty versus her dishonesty—impact the story as a whole?

How does the third-person cinematic narration inform the story’s themes? Address only one or two themes so you can analyze the text in detail.

When the residents expel Boori Ma from the building and plan to hire a “real durwan,” the narration doesn’t reveal the protagonist’s internal state. How does this ambiguity affect your reading of the ending, and of the story as a whole? Does it create pathos for Boori Ma? Allow readers to understand the other residents’ perspective?

What role does envy play in “A Real Durwan”? Consider the residents’ reaction to the Dalals’ water basin and the chain of events that follow, but address more than the literal level of plot action. What symbolism is involved? What are the big-picture messages?

The residents say Boori Ma is a “real durwan,” but then they say she is not. How exactly would they define a “real durwan”? Does Boori Ma truly cease to fulfill those criteria?

Gossip and rumors illustrate the theme of The Power of Voice, but how do they contribute to the story’s irony?

Mrs. Dalal is the second-most detailed character. The narrator reveals a few things about her thoughts and feelings—she has a soft spot for Boori Ma and has given her spices in the past—but apart from this, readers must make inferences about her character’s inner world. How do you read her? How do the story’s other details paint a psychological portrait, however indirectly, of Mrs. Dalal?

Before the burglary, Boori Ma ventures farther and farther from her building as she cannot sweep the stairs during the day. Is it viable to interpret this stepping away from home and safety as an empowerment for the character? What about when Boori Ma starts to buy small treats for herself? Your response should address the theft of Boori Ma’s keys and life savings from her sari.