Chapter Ten Summary

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

Smita and Mohan arrive unannounced at Ammi's shack in Birwad, where Meena lives with her mother-in-law and her fifteen-month-old daughter, Abru. Smita is immediately struck by the extent of Meena's facial scarring from the fire that killed her husband, Abdul—the left side of her face is ravaged, her left eye closed shut, and the surgeons' work has been clumsy. The only bright spot in the cramped, dark hut is Abru, who occasionally climbs into her mother's lap.

Meena asks about Shannon's recovery, and Smita reports she is in less pain. Meena mentions that Shannon promised to be present for the judge's ruling. Before the interview can proceed, Ammi interrupts, demanding the five thousand rupees she claims Shannon promised for telling their story. Smita firmly states that they do not pay for stories. Ammi becomes belligerent, unleashing curses at Meena, calling her a shameless whore and accusing her of murdering Abdul. When Meena pushes back, Ammi strikes her with a broom. Mohan intervenes, and Smita suggests she and Meena talk outside.

Outside, Meena initially squats on the ground below Smita, explaining that in her old village it was customary to sit below superiors. Smita insists she sit beside her on the cot. Meena begins to tell her story: she warned Abdul that her brothers would never allow their love match, but Abdul threatened to drink poison if she would not marry him. Meena describes meeting Anjali in the hospital, who arranged her transfer to a larger hospital, raised money for her operations, and crucially, asked Meena whether she wanted to keep her unborn child when doctors recommended abortion to save her life. Meena chose to keep Abru.

Meena explains her liminal identity: Hindus treat her as Muslim, while Muslims in the village still consider her Hindu. She describes herself as the dog who belongs neither in the house nor on the streets. She points to the charred remains of her former home, where she lived with Abdul for four months—the happiest period of her life. Abdul would wake before her to make tea; cooking beside her husband and walking to the factory together made her feel like the richest woman in Hindustan.

Meena recounts her brothers' opposition to the marriage. Govind refused to let them enter his home, threw the box of sweets they brought onto the ground, and said he would forbid even stray dogs from eating them. Meena reflects that this box of mithai carried Abdul's death warrant. She also reveals that her brothers resented her and Radha for earning more at the factory job, which made them the target of village mockery.

Smita asks whether Meena converted to Islam. Meena says she wanted to, but Abdul refused, wanting their family to represent a new India where Hindu and Muslim could live side by side. Smita reflects that Abdul's death was ultimately a failure of imagination—he could not conceive of the hatred his brothers-in-law harbored.

Back inside, Mohan has charmed Ammi, who is giggling and making tea. Mohan discreetly gives Ammi several hundred rupees, which she accepts gratefully. Smita brings tea out to Meena, who is astonished and grateful that Ammi allowed it. Smita notices that Abru has not spoken and asks about it. Meena worries that her daughter's silence stems from hearing her mother's screams during the fire and in the hospital.

Meena reveals that Ammi forced her to empty her bank account after she returned from the hospital, threatening to sell Abru to Christian nuns if she refused. Despite this, Meena shows remarkable compassion for Ammi, acknowledging the older woman's grief at losing both sons.

Meena ends the interview, saying she is tired and unused to talking so much. As they prepare to leave, Smita mentions that she will also be contacting Meena's brothers. Meena blanches, visibly shaken—she is illiterate and has never read Shannon's articles about herself. Meena asks Smita to ask her brothers why they committed such evil, recalling that Govind once called her his little star. She then goes inside, and Smita and Mohan depart.

Key Events

Smita and Mohan visit Meena at Ammi's shack in Birwad
Ammi demands money she claims Shannon promised; Smita refuses
Ammi strikes Meena with a broom; Mohan intervenes
Meena describes Anjali's role in saving her life and Abru's
Meena reveals her liminal identity—neither fully Hindu nor Muslim
Meena shows Smita the charred remains of her former home
Meena recounts Govind throwing the sweets and the brothers' hostility
Mohan gives Ammi money and charms her into cooperation
Meena reveals Ammi forced her to empty her bank account
Meena ends the interview; Smita's mention of contacting the brothers unsettles her

Character Development

Smita: This chapter marks a turning point in Smita's relationship to the story. She recognizes her own privilege—her family's escape to America, her comfortable life in Brooklyn—and feels ashamed of having considered her early struggles significant. She realizes why she has avoided covering stories in India: her feelings are too complicated for objectivity. Yet she also feels a deep kinship with Meena, understanding her loneliness in her bones. She begins composing the lede for her story, believing she can bring Meena to life more fully than Shannon did.

Meena: Meena emerges as a figure of remarkable resilience and psychological insight. Despite her suffering, she shows compassion for Ammi, understanding the older woman's grief. She demonstrates a sharp understanding of her own situation—her liminal identity, her loneliness, her determination to fight for Abdul's honor. Her decision to keep Abru, against medical advice, reveals her fierce maternal love.

Mohan: Mohan's cultural fluency is on display as he charms Ammi, using warmth and generosity to defuse her hostility. His decision to give her money, while ethically questionable from a journalistic standpoint, reflects his practical understanding of how to navigate the situation.

Ammi: Ammi is portrayed as a complex figure—grieving, financially desperate, and abusive toward Meena, yet also capable of warmth when charmed by Mohan. Smita wonders whether Ammi's cruelty stems from financial stress or something deeper.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Honor and shame: The chapter is saturated with the language of honor and shame. Govind's refusal to accept Abdul's sweets, his claim that Meena cut his nose by marrying a Muslim, and the community's ostracism of Meena all revolve around honor.

Interfaith marriage and identity: Meena's liminal status—treated as Muslim by Hindus and as Hindu by Muslims—illustrates the impossibility of her position. Abdul's vision of a new India, where Hindu and Muslim could live side by side, stands in tragic contrast to the reality of communal hatred.

The charred hut: The remains of Meena and Abdul's home symbolize both the destruction of their dreams and Meena's continued connection to her husband. She sleeps there at night to be near Abdul.

The failure of imagination: Smita's reflection that Abdul's death was a failure of imagination captures the chapter's central tragedy—a good man who could not conceive of the hatred around him.

Gratitude: Meena's gratitude for a cup of tea stands in stark contrast to the self-help culture of gratitude Smita reflects on, highlighting the vast gulf between their worlds.

Loneliness: Meena's earliest memory is of loneliness, and she recognizes the same quality in Smita. This shared loneliness forms a bond between the two women.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter deepens the reader's understanding of Meena's suffering and resilience, moving beyond the factual reporting Shannon provided to a more intimate portrait. It also marks a significant shift in Smita's character, as she confronts her own privilege and her emotional connection to the story. The chapter establishes the human stakes of the court case and foreshadows the challenges Meena will face regardless of the verdict. It also raises important questions about journalistic ethics, as Mohan's gift to Ammi and Smita's own impulses to help blur the lines between reporter and participant.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Smita feel ashamed when she reflects on her own experiences in America?

Smita feels ashamed because she recognizes the vast gulf between her struggles and Meena's. While Meena was battling for her life and facing social ostracism, Smita was in Brooklyn cafés, feeling aggrieved about microaggressions and personal slights. She realizes that her family's wealth and her father's academic credentials gave her the privilege of escape, and that her early difficulties adjusting to America were trivial compared to Meena's suffering.

2. What does Meena mean when she says she is the dog who belongs neither in the house nor on the streets?

Meena uses this metaphor to describe her liminal identity. After marrying Abdul, she is treated as a Muslim by Hindus, but Muslims in the village still consider her Hindu. She belongs fully to neither community, making her an outcast everywhere. The metaphor captures her profound isolation and the impossibility of finding a place where she truly belongs.

3. Why does Smita's mention of contacting Meena's brothers unsettle Meena?

Meena is visibly shaken because she is illiterate and has never read Shannon's articles about herself. She has no way of knowing what has been written about her or her brothers. The mention of contacting her brothers also brings back the trauma of their betrayal and the ongoing threat they represent. Meena's reaction highlights the power imbalance between the journalist and her subject—Smita has access to information and platforms that Meena cannot access.