Structure

The short story “Karma” by Khushwant Singh has a mostly linear plot structure. The short story follows the parallel narratives of its two main characters - Sir Mohan Lal and his wife Lachmi.

The story is mostly focused on Sir Mohan Lal, and spends a lot of time describing his character. Here, several flashbacks are used to give us a sense of Sir Mohan’s background, and how he has come to view British culture as superior to Indian culture. We also get a few flashbacks detailing Sir Mohan and Lachmi’s personal lives, revealing both that their relationship is distant and that they have no children. 

When Sir Mohan is preparing to board...