The Boss Came to Dinner

Shamnath and his wife hiding bric-a-brac away at the beginning of the story “either shifting them behind the almirahs or shoving them under the bedsteads” is symbolic of trying to hide their true nature. They want to appear high-class when in fact they are not. They also appear ashamed of their Indian heritage. 

It is also worth noting that Shamnath remembers his mother only when hiding away the useless things they do not want the guests to see. Since the mother is reminder of his Indian heritage, this highlights Shamnath’s rejection of Eastern values. It is also suggestive of how Shamnath sees his mother as an object he can manipulate at will. 

The mother’s wooden sandals which Shamnath intends to throw away are a symbol of the old traditions. His mother keeps the old traditions, but Shamnath and his wife want to renounce them, after they have become westernized. Shamnath’s rejection of Indian traditions suggests that he feels inferior in relation to his American boss and is eager to sacrifice his Eastern values to fit into a more westernized society. 

The phulkari which the mother brings for the boss is symbolic of the little value placed on their culture and heritage in Shamnath’s household. The phulkari is old and in very poor condition: “its threads had come off in several places, and the cloth almost crumbled to the touch.” This symbolizes Shamnath’s lack of concern with Indian culture ...