Difference Between Ashoke And Ashima

1472 Words3 Pages

No flowers, no hand holding, no nicknames. These are some rules Ashoke and Ashima follow. Kissing, pet names, and gifts. These are some rules Gerald and Lydia lived by. The main difference between the two is the Ganguilis are married by arrangement, while Ratliffs are married by romance. Everyone can see why Gerald and Lydia are affectionate with one another, including Gogol, but not with Ashoke and Ashima. Many westerners view arranged marriage as a deal breaker between the parents to fulfill their cultural duties; it is as if love is an afterthought to base a lifelong commitment. Because of this, these couples are presented as unloving due to their restraint of showing public display of affection. However, in emotional and physical aspects, Ashoke and Ashima’s matrimony is …show more content…

For two strangers who are engaged within three weeks, Ashima and Ashoke do share similar characteristics as American newlyweds do. In fact, one can compare their first encounter as a fairy tale. Ashima tries on a pair of unknown shoes and they fit perfectly. Ashoke’s shoes does intrigue her for, unlike her other suitors, he is from the United States. There is something about Ashoke’s foreignness that catches her intention. Her feet feeling his sweat is similar to love at first sight, or in this case love at first touch. “It was the closest thing she had ever experienced to the touch of a man” (8). Ashima has not even caught a glimpse of her future husband; yet he grabs her attention. Their first physical encounter is more like a job interview, but both Ashoke and Ashima steal a quick glance at each other. A quick peep is another way of telling them how beautiful and handsome they are. Appearances do not matter much for those two, but Ashoke does take notice when Ashima appears worn out from motherhood. “He looks at Ashima, her face leaner, the features sharper than they had been at their wedding, aware that her life in

Open Document