Chapter 1 “Auspicious Occasion”
- What is the nature of the relationship between Mehroo and Rustomji?
- How do they tend to communicate with one another?
- What are Tanoo's reasons for leaving the couple?
- Is Rustomji's lust for Gajra noticed by Mehroo? How do Mehroo's and Rustomji's religious views tend to differ?
- Consider Mehroo and Rustomji: What is their marriage like? How do they react to each other's needs and feelings?
- Did the couple have a promising beginning to their marriage?
- In what ways has their relationship changed over the years?
- Are they a good match for one another? Why or why not?
- What is the significance of the couple's relationship to the theme of this story?
- Who is the protagonist?
- How can the protagonist be determined?
- Which character evokes empathy from the reader?
- Explain whether Rustomji can be considered to be the "hero" of this story. Why or why not?
- How do Mehroo's and Rustomji's religious views cause tension in the marriage?
- What conflict lies between Rustomji and the building management?
- How does these relate to changes in India's more modern ways of living?
- What in the story exemplifies traditional vs. modern mores and/or roles. Include examples.
- Which character in the story exemplifies the most traditional way of living and how?
- When do traditional ways of living intersect with more modern ways, resulting in increased tensions?
- How can this be related to modern-day tensions in India?
- Describe both Mehroo's and Rustomji's attitudes toward life after the elderly, orthodox Dhunjisha is found dead.
- What does Dhunjisha represent for both characters?
Chapter 2 “One Sunday”
1. Reflecting upon the characters, which characters in the story portray the theme of innocence? Indicate, also, which situations do the same.
2. Why does Najamai trust that her flat will be safe in her absence on Sunday?
- What are Najamai's feelings about Francis after he is caught by Percy and Kersi?
4. In what ways might Najamai be thought to be an innocent bystander in this story?
5. Why does Tehmina feign innocence of what is going on outside her apartment door when Francis flees the flat?
6. Focus on the elements of innocence, what are they?
7. Which elements of the story express the theme of innocence?
8. How are characters such as Francis, Naramjai and Percy considered to be free of guilt?
9. How does trust and belief in innocence cause problems for some characters? Why?
10. Explain why Kersi breaks his bat at the end of the story and how it relates to the loss of his innocence.
11. How do Kirsi's parents feel about his friendship with Francis? Why?
12. What is it about Francis that leads Kirsi's parents to hope the friendship will end?
13. Why does the lone Muslin tenant decide to kick Francis?
14. What is the Tar Gulley like? Why?
15. Research the caste system that exists in India and relate it to the story, "One Sunday." Information can be sought on the Internet and through library and history books. Provide the most essential elements in understating this social stratification.
16. Why does the Muslim tenant show empathy towards Tehmina?
17. How do most of the tenants of the Firozsha Baag feel about the Muslim man and his servant? Why?
18. Which people are considered to be appropriate to associate with and which are not?
19. How does this relate to India as a whole?
20. Based upon the research on the caste system, explain why it would not be considered correct for Kirsi to associate with someone like Francis.
21. Why does Kersi continue to care for his cricket bat?
22. What does he use the bat for these days?
23. Why is Kersi nauseated when he uses his bat for this purpose?
24. What does Kersi use his bat for by the end of the story?
25. How does the experience of chasing Francis down change him?
26. Explore Kersi's feelings when he uses the bat by the story's end. What are his main emotions?
27. Why does he break the bat?
28. Copnsider the author's reason for using a cricket bat in the story. What does the bat symbolize?
29. In what ways does the bat hold meaning for Kersi?
30. Look for any symbolism the cricket bat might hold for Kersi's brother, Percy.
31. How does the cricket bat effect their relationship?
Chapter 3 “The Ghost of Firozsha Baag”
- Does the bai look down upon the Ayah? Why?
2. What differentiates Jaakaylee from most of the other tenants of Firozsha Baag?
3. How does the bai bring Jaakaylee into her world, so to speak?
4. How does Jaakaylee's village upbringing compare with the bai-seth's lives in the Firozsha Baag? Think of as many differences as possible based upon the story.
5. Consider the ending of the story in terms of Jaakaylee and the bai's sudden coming together, almost as friends. What makes it clear to the reader that the bai thinks of Jaakaylee as more of a friend now rather than just a servant?
6. What is the cause of this new way of seeing the relationship?
7. What does Jaakaylee think of it?
8. Explain the class differences that exist between the characters presented in this story.
9. From what point of view is this story told? What is the author's purpose in utilizing this point of view?
10. What style of writing differentiates this story from the first two stories in the book?
11. Examine the narrative style used to tell the story. Is the narrator well-educated?
12. Is the story told in a personalized fashion or didactically?
- What type of "voice" does the narrator use to tell the story?
- How does the author use humor in his protagonist's narration?
- Use one word to describe Rohinton Mistry's narrative style used in this story.
16. Look in the story for any reasons Jaakaylee might have to intentionally make her bai believe in ghosts. Write each reason down with the quote from the story to support it.
17. What does Jaakaylee gain when the bai fervently ends up believing in the bhoot?
18. Did Jaakaylee know, even subconsciously, that the bai would think she was a ghost out on the balcony?
19. Why would she want to do that?
20. Brainstorm ideas as to Jaakaylee's reasons for going out on the balcony in a white sheet. Make a list, remembering that Jaakaylee ends up afraid, herself, by the story's end.
21. Consider whether Jaakaylee comes out ahead in some way after the bai believes in her stories after all.
Chapter 4 “Condolence Visit”
1. Why does Nasjamai constantly arrive at Daulat's door?
2. What actions does Nasjamai expect Daulat to be taking in light of her husband's death?
3. What does Nasjamai represent to Daulat in terms of keeping up appearances?
4. What does Nasjamai represent to the reader when seen through Daulat's eyes?
Consider what Nasjamai's reaction symbolizes when Daulat decides to give the pugree away to the young man who is getting married. Why does Nasjamai (and Moti) have such a strong reaction to Daulat's decision to part with the pugree?
5. Consider Nasjamai's words and her attitude toward Daulat. How does Nasjamai symbolize the old-fashioned ways of India.
6. Make a list of the customs that Nasjamai symbolizes and Daulat has trouble following.
7. List thoughts on how the theme of the story deals with new beginnings and rebirth.
8. How does Daulat feel about the customary ways of old?
9. How does she deal with the traditions laid down throughout time when she does not want to follow them?
10. What is a theme the author returns to more than once in the story?
11. Consider the theme of old versus new that runs throughout the story. How is this associated with the death of Daulat's husband?
12. Explain why the ragman's song helps define the story's theme.
13. The story's protagonist, Daulat, is in conflict with both people and ideas. Who are the people?
14. What are the ideas?
15. Why does she experience this conflict?
16. How does this help the story move toward its conclusion?
17. Why does Daulat have difficulty snuffing out the oil lamp?
18. How does this one act of non-compliance create a conflict within the story?
19. What else does Daulat struggle with in order to hold onto the memory of her husband?
20. Recalling Daulat's weariness with repeating aspects of Minocher's illness over and over to visitors, how would her imagined solution cause great conflict with the Fiozsha Baag?
Chapter 5 “The Collectors”
1. Why does Dr. Mody first notice Jehangir?
2. What leads Dr. Mody to invite Jehangir to his home on Sunday morning?
3. How has Dr. Mody been thinking of Jehangir up until this time?
4. What do the two of them have in common?
5. As a friendly relationship develops between Dr. Mody and Jehangir, how does this relationship effect Mrs. Mody?
6. List your thoughts on her reactions and feelings about the developing relationship.
7. What are Dr. Mody's feelings about Jehangir?
8. What does Jehangir think of Dr. Mody?
9. What effect does their relationship have on Pesi?
10. What ends up stopping the friendly relationship in its tracks? Why?
11. Express an opinion as whether the relationship between Jehangir and Dr. Mody develops naturally or seems contrived.
12. Describe Jehangir's personality traits.
13. How does the author tend to highlight those traits for the reader?
14. Consider Jehangir's character as he relates to other characters in the story. How does Pesi most clearly serve as a foil for Jehangir?
15. Why is this foil necessary for the story's plot?
16. List Jehangir's descriptive qualities as they pertain to Pesi's traits.
17. Which traits are most highlighted in Jehangir as compared to his foil?
18. Think of other stories in the book that have foils in them. Are they similar to the foil in this story?
19. What does the Spanish dancing-lady stamp look like?
20. What does Mrs. Mody think of it?
21. What part does the stamp play in Dr. Mody's weekly meetings with Jehangir?
22. Why does the stamp need to be a symbol in the story?
23. Why might have the author chosen the Spanish dancing-lady stamp to symbolize freedom in this story?
24. Consider the meaning of the Spanish dancing-lady stamp. What does the stamp symbolize for Mrs. Mody, who ends up destroying it?
25. Why does Dr. Mody keep it in a special box, all by itself?
26. What does the stamp symbolize for Jehangir, who is accused of stealing it?
27. How does the Spanish dancing-lady stamp become a reason for Jehangir not continuing with his stamp collecting after he loses his "flicked" stamps?
Chapter 6 “Of White Hairs and Cricket”
1. "All spinning things entranced me." What is this sentence said in reference to?
2. What is its deeper meaning within the story?
3. What other part of the story involves a situation going around in cycles?
4. What does Mummy resolve herself to after never getting the items, such as a fridge, she hopes for?
5. How does the Kersi's plucking of Daddy's gray hairs relate to the theme of life's cycles?
6. Which one particular hair best illuminates that theme?
7. Why does Kersi stop plucking and go to the comics, leaving his father aghast?
8. There are a few elements of the story that deal with the theme of the cycle of life. Choose one and explain its meaning.
9. How does the author show the reader Kersi's feelings toward plucking his father's hairs?
10. Where in the story does this occur?
11. In what subtle way is Percy's personal time shown to be of more importance than Kersi's time?
12. How does this effect Kersi's feelings?
13. How does the author show the reader Kersi's emotions concerning family?
14. Through whose eyes is the reader made aware of what Kersi is feeling throughout the story?
15. Are the emotions clearly illuminated or are they left open for discussion? How?
16. List the emotions felt by Kersi and how the author displayed them.
17. Explain whether his emotions are subtle or overt and why.
18. Consider the feelings the author brings to Kersi's character. Describe at least two of them and how they may have come to be.
19. In the title, what do "White Hairs" refer to?
20. Why is that important to the story's meaning?
21. What meaning does "cricket" have in the story?
22. How do the two items, white hairs and cricket, relate to one another by the story's end?
23. What is the meaning of the title?
24. Consider whom the title is actually referring to: Daddy or Kersi? Explain your response.
Chapter 7 “The Paying Guests”
1. Provide the definition of ethics.
2. Are Boman's reasons for wanting to evict the elderly couple ethical?