Writers of Color Book Club discussion

Here is where you can discuss short story #8 of Jhumpa Lahiri's collection. Please be mindful of giving away any spoilers.

Hi everyone, I'm Jessica and I just joined this group! I thought I'd dive right in - Did this story remind anyone else of a Marquez short story? It seemed a little ridiculous and satirical in a way that the rest of the stories in the collection did not.

I actually found this particular story to be the most realistic in terms of circumstances than most of the other stories. I did however, find that the ending was a bit lacking in terms of adding the actual punch that I always expect from a short story. I wasn't necessarily convinced that having a child could "cure" Bibi that easily.

Adira wrote: "I actually found this particular story to be the most realistic in terms of circumstances than most of the other stories. I did however, find that the ending was a bit lacking in terms of adding th..."

Hi Adira, I agree with you about the ending of the story. Did you really find the circumstances more realistic? I think that's so interesting, since I found it to be completely the opposite!

I saw the relationship between Bibi and her family and their need to shun her for being sick as realistic since it seemed that individuals of their economic status would have those negative feelings turn into prejudices against Bibi's conditions. Likewise, the mystery surrounding who got Bibi pregnant was realistic to me too since I figured the enthusiasm that Bibi had at finding a husband could have easily been translated to her exchanging sex for a verbal commitment of marriage at a later date. My one problem with this story besides the ending is that the time frame of the story seemed to flounder on showing the reader how/when Bibi was able to become impregnated. The way Lahiri wrote the story makes it seem as if Bibi locked herself inside her room and never came out and no one went in and therefore the pregnancy was less believable to me because of that.