CRITICAL STUDY OF RUMA IN JHUMPA LAHARI’S UNACCUSTOMED EARTH A second generation diaspora Ruma , the main protagonist is married to Adam, an American. Ruma is an example of upward mobility. Well-educated, hardworking, she becomes a lawyer in New York. Her successful professional life is accompanied by equally thriving family life: an American husband,a 3-year-old son, Akash, another pregnancy and a new house on the west coast, in Seattle, where the family moves after Ruma’s husband receives another job. Suddenly, the pursuit of her American Dream comes to an abrupt halt, she resigns from most of the things she has achieved so far: her professional career and independence. She decides to take care solely of the family and household, but this …show more content…
It informs of her lack of belonging, which is emphasized in the narrative by her movement, going on “routes” rather than growing “roots” – she left her home in Pennsylvania to work in New York and then moved with her family to seattle. The position of in-betweenness, living between two cultures, is uncomfortable and confusing for her. Ruma’s Hamlet like indecisiveness and afflicted psyche is better understood from a psychoanalytical perspective.Although a grown woman with a life that seems enviable outwardly, she remains very insecure inside.She feels alienated from the people closest to her, including her husband and child. She feels distanced from her own loving husband as she believes that he cannot understand her fears and quandaries with regard to her initial indecision over whether to ask her father to move in or not. Their marriage is not as smooth as one might believe. ““For God’s sake, Ruma,” Adam said. “He’s your father. You’ve known him all your life.” He reminded her that her father was in good health for his age, content where he was,but he didn’t object to the idea of her father living with them.She knew Adam was trying to