Baba (Fahim Rahman) Character Analysis in A Show for Two

Overview

Baba (Fahim Rahman) is the father of Samina “Poppy” Rahman and her younger sister Anam in Tashie Bhuiyan's contemporary YA novel. He functions as the primary parental obstacle to Poppy’s dreams of studying film and business at the University of Southern California. Baba’s strict enforcement of traditional expectations, his dismissive attitude toward his daughters’ passions, and his conditional expressions of love create the emotional pressure that fuels Poppy’s desire to leave home. While the text explicitly shows Baba as controlling and emotionally withholding, it also hints at a more complex character through rare glimpses of warmth and a final concession.

Plot Role

Baba serves as a central antagonist in Poppy’s journey, representing the weight of family expectations and cultural pressure. His actions directly shape the novel’s conflict:

• He intercepts Poppy’s USC mail and calls her downstairs for a confrontation in Chapter 1.
• In Chapter 8, he sits at the dining table to accuse Poppy of acting like a child, then withholds food as a silent punishment—refusing to offer her and Anam the payesh and chai he prepared.
• A flashback in Chapter 8 reveals that both parents laughed at Poppy’s USC dreams during junior year, and her mother made a conditional bet: they would pay for college only if Poppy won the Golden Ivy film competition. Poppy forces her mother to sign a written promise, which she carries as a motivator.
• In Chapter 22, when Ma shows Poppy graduation dress options and mentions Baba’s September birthday, Poppy snaps that she will be in college by then. Ma accuses her of running away.
• In Chapter 28, after Poppy returns late from a rooftop date with Emmitt, both parents confront her harshly, calling her a disappointment. Her father leaves; her mother grabs her chin, leaving marks.
• In Chapter 43, a brief scene shows Baba cooking tehari and exchanging passive-aggressive remarks with Poppy. She recalls a warmer memory of him teaching her to cook, but he dismissed her suggestion that he become a chef.
• In Chapter 52, after Poppy announces she will attend NYU and live on campus, Baba eventually says “fine” in a cold, reluctant manner, ending the climactic family confrontation.

Through these episodes, Baba acts as a gatekeeper to Poppy’s freedom. His refusal to support her dreams forces her to rely on the Golden Ivy competition as her only exit.

Motivations and Traits

Baba’s motivations are rooted in a combination of cultural tradition, fear, and a flawed sense of love. The text does not offer his interior perspective, so his inner thoughts are inferred from his words and actions.

• Desire for control and proximity: Baba repeatedly insists that Poppy stay close to home. In Chapter 8, he says, “We want you to be close by because we love you, not because we don’t trust you.” Poppy interprets this as manipulation. The evidence shows he values physical closeness over Poppy’s autonomy.
• Traditional definitions of success: He dismisses film club and volleyball as distractions. In evidence from Chapter 9, he repeats Anam’s words “Stanford” and “volleyball scholarship” as if they are absurd. The implication is that he expects his daughters to pursue stable, prestigious careers like medicine or engineering.
• Emotional distance and passive aggression: Baba rarely shows overt anger; instead, he uses guilt-tripping, silence, and cold remarks. In Chapter 9, he accuses Poppy of stressing out her mother, then withholds food without explanation. In Chapter 43, he cooks but does not offer any to Poppy, and they exchange “passive-aggressive remarks.”
• Isolation and conditional love: The evidence from Chapter 20 describes a series of childhood incidents — refusal to let Poppy wear a birthday dress, threats against sleepovers, and discouragement of academic ambitions — that convince Poppy her parents’ love is conditional. Baba’s behavior in the present aligns with this pattern: he only seems content when his daughters obey.

A rare warm memory in Chapter 43 suggests Baba was once more affectionate. Poppy recalls him teaching her to cook and her encouraging him to become a chef — a dream he dismissed. This moment implies that Baba himself may have suppressed his own passions to conform to expectations, a possible source of his disapproval of Poppy’s ambitions. The text does not confirm this, but it is a plausible interpretation from his reaction.

Chronological Arc

Baba’s arc moves from rigid opposition to grudging acceptance, though he never fully transforms.

• Early novel (Chapters 1-8): Baba is consistently opposed to Poppy’s plans. He intercepts mail, lectures her about “unrealistic goals,” and punishes her with silence and withheld food.
• Middle novel (Chapters 20-31): The conflict escalates. Baba is present during harsh confrontations (Chapter 28), and his birthday treatment of Poppy is hollow — he allows the tense atmosphere on her birthday without offering genuine warmth. In Chapter 31, Anam defends Poppy, accusing their parents of doing nothing for her birthday. Baba insists they want the best, but his actions do not back this up.
• Late novel (Chapters 43-52): Baba shows small cracks. He cooks tehari, and Poppy reflects on a warmer past. However, his passive-aggressive tone continues. In Chapter 52, when Poppy demands to live on campus, Baba initially repeats her words slowly (“On campus?”) before eventually saying “fine.” The text describes his words as “frigid” and his face as showing disappointment. Still, by capitulating, he allows Poppy the freedom she needs. The novel ends with Poppy smiling at her parents for the first time in years — a moment of tentative reconciliation, not full resolution.

Relationships

• With Poppy: The defining relationship of Baba’s arc. It is characterized by conflict, resentment, and a profound lack of understanding. Poppy feels that Baba sees her as a disappointment. She consciously distances herself from him, refusing to engage in the “same argument for the fiftieth time.” The text makes clear that Poppy holds her father responsible for her emotional pain, though she also notes that knowing the blame is his does not stop the hurt.
• With Anam: Baba’s relationship with his younger daughter is similar but less directly confrontational. Anam is more openly defiant (she accuses their parents of doing nothing for Poppy’s birthday), but Baba does not engage her in the same extended arguments. In Chapter 9, when Anam declares she wants to attend Stanford, Baba simply repeats the word blankly. He seems equally dismissive of her volleyball ambitions.
• With Ma (Yara): Baba and Ma often act as a unified front, but Baba occasionally interrupts her. In Chapter 52, when Ma is on a tirade against Poppy’s dorm plan, Baba holds up his hand and says “Fine.” Ma is surprised and displeased. This moment shows that Baba can override his wife’s objections, but he does so out of exhaustion rather than support for Poppy.

Key Decisions and Consequences

Each decision reinforces Poppy’s resolve. Baba’s attempts to control her only make her more determined to leave. His final concession, though cold, is the first step toward a possible future relationship.

Theme and Symbol Connections

Baba is central to several of the novel’s core themes, as outlined in the author’s note.

• Family Expectations and Approval: Baba embodies the pressure to conform. His condemnation of Poppy’s double major and his prioritization of reputation over her happiness directly illustrate this theme. The family expectations and approval page explores this further.
• Identity and Belonging: Baba’s rejection of Poppy’s dreams contributes to her feeling disconnected from her Bangladeshi-Muslim heritage. In Chapter 22, Poppy tells Emmitt she “does not feel at home.” Her father’s lack of support makes it impossible for her to explore her cultural identity within the family. See identity and belonging.
• Mental Health and Self-Acceptance: Baba’s behavior exacerbates Poppy’s depressive episodes. The text shows her struggling with an inner voice of self-doubt, which is reinforced by his dismissiveness. Poppy’s journey toward self-acceptance requires her to recognize that his lack of love is not her fault. The mental health page discusses this theme.
• Ambition vs. Relationships: Baba forces Poppy to choose between her ambitions and her family. She ultimately chooses herself, which aligns with the theme of ambition vs. relationships.
• Authenticity vs. Performance: Baba cares deeply about appearances — what people will think if Poppy lives in a dorm. He values the performance of a perfect family over authentic connection. This tension is analyzed in authenticity vs. performance.

Symbolically, food plays a dual role with Baba. Cooking was once a source of connection (the childhood memory of him teaching Poppy), but in the present, he uses food as a weapon by withholding it. The tehari he cooks in Chapter 43 is offered to the family but not to Poppy with warmth — it becomes a symbol of the conditional love he offers.

Questions and Answers

1. Why does Baba withhold food from Poppy in Chapter 8?

Baba withholds the payesh and chai as a silent punishment after Poppy refuses to engage in a lecture about her attitude. The text states that he passes by Anam and Poppy “entirely without a word” and does not offer them any of the food. This action is consistent with his passive-aggressive parenting style; he uses withdrawal of care to assert control rather than direct confrontation.

2. What is the significance of the signed bet between Poppy and her mother?

The signed promise — in which Poppy’s mother agrees to pay for USC only if Poppy wins the Golden Ivy — represents the conditional nature of her parents’ support. Poppy carries it in her wallet as a painful motivator. The text explicitly shows she keeps it to remind herself why she must escape. It symbolizes the transactional relationship she has with her parents: love is exchanged for achievement.

3. Does Baba ever change his stance on Poppy’s film ambitions?

Baba never explicitly supports Poppy’s dreams. Even in his final confrontation, he says “fine” to her dorm plan without expressing any approval of her chosen path. The text indicates that he gives in out of exhaustion, not acceptance. However, his reluctance to fight further does open the door for a less hostile relationship, as Poppy smiles at him for the first time in years. The change is in his actions, not his beliefs.

4. How does Baba’s relationship with Anam differ from his relationship with Poppy?

Baba interacts with Anam less frequently and less aggressively. He does not engage in extended arguments with her the way he does with Poppy. When Anam declares she wants to go to Stanford, he simply repeats her words blankly. Anam is also more openly defiant; in Chapter 31, she accuses Baba and Ma of doing nothing for Poppy’s birthday. The text suggests that Anam has not yet become the primary target of his disapproval, likely because she is younger and her college plans are still ahead.

5. What role does the memory of Baba teaching Poppy to cook play in the story?

The memory appears in Chapter 43 when Pa and Poppy exchange passive-aggressive remarks. She recalls a time when he taught her to cook and she encouraged him to become a chef — a suggestion he dismissed. This memory serves as a contrast to the present and implies that Baba himself may have suppressed his own passions. It deepens the character by suggesting that his disapproval of Poppy’s dreams may stem from his own unfulfilled ambitions. The text does not state this explicitly, but it is a strong interpretation supported by the evidence.

For more in-depth analysis of the novel’s ending and other characters, see the ending explained and questions and answers pages.