Perspectives

Literary perspectives

The short story “The Boss Came to Dinner” by Bhisham Sahni has several elements of modernist literature.

An element of modernist literature is the shifting points of view in the narrative. This helps readers understand the perspective of each main character in turn. By gaining access to Shamnath’s and the mother’s contrasting perspectives, the reader …

...

Works with the same theme or in the same genre

The short story “Dusk over Atlantic Wharf” by Susmita Bhattacharya explores the theme of culture clash. In this story, Lata is newly arrived from India to Wales, following an arranged marriage. Like the mother in “The Boss Came to Dinner,” Lata feels lonely and estranged from her culture. In both stories, the two characters appear resigned to their situation. 

The short story “Girl” by Jamaica Kinkaid is an example of postcolonial literature, that also brings about the clash of Western and Eastern values. The short story represents a series of instructions that a conservative mother from postcolonial Antigua offers to her daughter. Like Shamnath in the short story “The Boss Came to Dinner”, the mother shows herself domineering and controlling and will only accept her values.