Clothes Symbolism

Question 1

In “Clothes”, by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, the use of symbolism to express the theme of change is evident throughout the entire passage. Mita has never had the freedom to express herself as she pleased. She has always had restrictions on what she could say, do or wear. She is married off to Somesh and through this, she discovers her newly found freedom. Symbolism is expressed throughout the entire story, but one of the most memorable examples of this is when Mita is finally at liberty to express herself as she wishes to. In the following quote, the reader is able to understand just how important this piece of clothing is for her. She finds a different meaning compared to someone who has always had this privilege. She states. “The

In “Clothes”, Mita is married off to Somesh who happens to live in California. She is supposed to marry him and move away from India which happens to be her home. She ends up leaving everything she has every known to start a new chapter in her life in America. In the following quote, Mita is on the plane heading towards America. She states,” When the plane takes off, I try to stay calm, to take deep, slow breaths like father does when he is practicing yoga” (583).” She is trying to calm herself as she makes her way to her new home. Witi also expresses this theme in “The Whale”. The village that is depicted in the story is almost gone along with many of its traditions. Many of the younger generation who has grown up there are living as they become older and not coming back. The old man states, “The young grow apart from each other. They look with shame at their meeting house and this village because it is decaying. They walk away and do not come back” (886)”. The younger generation is moving away from the village and their home because they feel there is nothing left for them there. Both stories express the theme of leaving home in their own

Both stories express this theme in their own distinct ways. “Girls At War,” takes place during a civil war and “The Whale,” takes place during the collapse of a village. In “Girls At War,” Gladys along with many other volunteers are trying to enlist to fight for their beloved Country. They are ready to bear arms in support of what they love, which is their Country. Gladys states, “and sometimes women too, Were daily turned away from enlistment centres because far too many of them were coming forward burning with readiness to bear arms in defence of the exciting new nation” (666)”. This quote shows just how much they love their country, and what they are willing to do for it. The harsh times provoke them to take action. Additionally, in “The Whale,” the village is slowly falling apart. It is decaying due to the lack of love that was once so prevalent there. The village once relied on the Aroha (love) that one would have for another. Having Aroha for one another was a way of life which is being swept away due to the decaying of the village. The old man states, “That was long ago, another world ago, when this meeting house and whanau, this village, brimmed over with happiness and aroha” (883)”. The village was once overflowing with the love of the people that lived in it. The people are leaving there for the love is dying. Both stories depict the theme