Characters

The main character in the short story “The Aliens” by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala is Peggy. Peggy is an English woman who has moved to India after her marriage to an Indian man named Dev. There, she struggles to adjust to a different lifestyle, which she clearly dislikes.

Another important character is Sarla, Peggy’s sister-in-law. Sarla seems to be a stereotypical Indian wife. She is presented in contrast to Peggy. While Peggy hides her emotions, Sarla does not hesitate to express them. Peggy tries to avoid conflict as much as she can, while Sarla constantly argues with Suraj, with her mother-in-law, and even with the servants. Peggy and Sarla present two contrasting ways of looking at life, highlighting the differences between their cultures.

Other characters are Dev, Suraj, the mother-in-law, Peggy’s nephews, the servants who live in the house, or the woman Sarla believes Suraj is interested in. Peggy’s parents are also briefly mentioned.

You can read a more detailed analysis of Peggy in the following section.