During Ashok's sabbatical, the family takes two unexpected
trips outside of Calcutta. After spending several months with family, Ashoke "has
planned a trip for them, first to Delhi to visit an uncle, and then to Agra to see the
Taj Mahal" (84).
This trip is significant not only because
it is their first time leaving their parent's hometown, but it is the moment in the
novel where Gogol first begins to savor the beauty of architecture as he stands in front
of the Taj Mahal, unable to draw or capture it's
grandeur.
This scene is also critical as it is the first
time that the family feels like tourists in their own country. They notice that "in
certain restaurants that they are the only Indians apart from the serving staff" (85).
This is a transformative experience, especially for Gogol.
No comments:
Post a Comment