Hell-Heaven Question Analysis

My mother did not appreciate the fact that Deborah had made sure that my parents, who did not eat beef, were given fish instead of filet mignon like everyone else. She kept [...] complaining about the formality of the proceedings, and the fact that Pranab Kaku, wearing a tuxedo, barely said a word to us because he was too busy leaning over the shoulders of his new American in-laws as he circled the table.

This passage from Jhumpa Lahiri’s story, “Hell-Heaven,” is important in explaining the significance of the story because you can already guess some of the key issues from just those two sentences. You can deduce from the text that the author’s mother seems to be very traditional in her culture, PK appears to be a close family friend or family member, and the author’s mother is not a particular fan of Debbie. If you have read the whole story, then you know very well that almost the whole story is about all of those factors. PK, formally known as Pranab Kaku, is introduced as a stranger just following the author, Usha, and her mother, “Boudi,” around a market because they are of the same Bengali culture. Throughout the story you see PK getting closer and closer with the family, and you begin to see the slightest hints of a flirtation between the author’s mother and PK. “He brought to my mother the first, and, I suspect, the only pure happiness she ever felt.” Unfortunately for Boudi, any possibility of this relationship progressing was impossible with her being a married Bengali woman and PK being much younger than her. This is really the climax of their relationship, because then enters Deborah. She is an American woman who wins Pranab’s heart, and to whom he marries despite his family’s beliefs. As a result of the marriage, Pranab Kaku cuts himself off from his family, his culture, and the people he once associated with; including Usha and her parents. Boudi says, “It’s just hell-heaven, the change in Pranab,” giving the story its title. The rest of the