Nirupam Choudhury

In what follows, you can read Nirupam Choudhury's outer and inner characterisation. He is the second most important character in “Cyprus Avenue” by Lucy Caldwell.

Outer characterisation

Nirupam Choudhury's outer characterisation informs us that he is of Indian or Pakistani descent as the narrator describes him as a “young Indian man” (l. 35) but later we find out that at school he was considered a “the shy skinny Paki kid” (l. 63). Note that “Paki” is an offensive term for someone of Pakistani or Indian origin, suggesting that racism was common when Nirupam and the main character were growing up in Northern Ireland. Nirupam’s accent and his background suggest that he was born and raised in Belfast, Ireland: “he’ll smile at you and say, in as broad a Belfast accent as any, No worries, you’re grand.” (ll. 38-39). Additionally, the narrator describes him as “tall and silent” (l. 36).

He comes from a wealthy family as his father was a surgeon and he lived “in one of the big houses on Cyprus Avenue” (l. 61). His father and baby sister died in a car accident when he was in...