Paki

This study guide will help you analyze the short story “Paki” by Gautam Malkani. You can also find a summary of the text, as well as inspiration for interpreting it and putting it into perspective.

Presentation of the text

Title: “Paki” (2005)
Author: Gautam Malkani
Genre: Short story

Gautam Malkani (b. 1976) is a journalist for The Financial Times and writer. He grew up in Hounslow, near London's Heathrow airport. Malkani's mother is a Ugandan of Indian descent. The short story “Paki” appeared in Prospect Magazine and later became a chapter of Malkani’s novel Londonstani (2006).

Excerpt

Below, you can read an excerpt from our study guide:

Symbols

One of the most important symbols in the story is Hardjit’s jacket. Jas explains that: “He'd just had the word "Desi" sewn onto the back of it. He'd thought about having "Paki" sewn on but his mum'd never let him wear it an, anyway, nobody round here ever used that word”. In this way, the jacket is symbolic of how Hardjit constructs his identity as a gang member in a way that differs from reality. The fact that he beats Daniel up for presumably calling him the word “Paki” even though people do not generally use the slur, shows that in order to maintain his image as a tough gang leader he will create scenarios that differ from reality.
Hardjit’s expensive clothes and his chain are symbolic of ...