When Mr. Pirzada Came

to Dine

From Jhumpa Lahiri’s Interpreter

of Maladies

Political History

• Between 1876 and 1947, the areas now known as India and Pakistan were under British rule as a single territory called India.

When Independence was Achieved…

• (1947) the area was divided: –Muslims Pakistan –Hindus India

• However, people of both religions remained in both regions, which led to unrest and civil war.

After Reading Questions

1. What was your reaction when you realized that Mr. Pirzada decided to stay in the U.S. instead of returning to Dacca and to his family?

2. Why does Lihiri include so many details about how well Lilia knows U.S. history and geography?

3. What does Mr. Pirzada discover about his family when he gets back to Dacca?

Analyze and Evaluate

4. What is the significance of the following:

A. Mr. Pirzada’s discomfort when Lilia thanks him for the candy.

B. Mr. Pirzada’s pocket watch

C. Lilia’s prayer

D. The jack-o-lantern

Analyze Theme

5. The theme in “Mr. Pirzada” is implied rather than directly stated. In order to determine the theme, think about the following:a. Cultural belonging is an important element in

the story. How attached is Lilia to American culture? How attached is Mr. Pirzada?

b. What contrasts do you see between life in America and life in Dacca?

c. What message, or theme, do you think that Lahiri portrays in the story?