Clothes By Divakaruni Summary

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Indian traditions have been around for years and years at a time, and Mita knows. When reading the short story “Clothes” by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, Mita shows that moving to America is not the future she predicted, but not necessarily a bad one. Mitas new sari symbolizes new beginnings, her new husband, and her memory of her old home.

Mitas new Sari plays a minor role in this story. At first the Sari symbolizes her new future with her new husband in America. When she moves the America it symbolizes new beginnings and opportunities that did not occur in India. For example the arranged marriage would not usually happen in America but in India it's a normal thing. Mita’s sari also shows that she is leaving her old life behind to start …show more content…

The sari shows the most symbolism because it is basically representing her in a whole. The sari also represents the memory of her old home and friends before she moved. Before she moved her friend seemed jealous so it shows that her new life is better than her old. hroughout the story Divakaruni describes the colors of the clothes which means something to Sumita, the main character. The colors coordinate with what is happening during Sumita’s life at that time. “I wanted a blue one (sari) for the journey, because blue is the color of possibility.” (Divakaruni 3). Sumita believes the colors she chooses impact her life and symbolize what is going on or what is going to happen because she grew up in India. India’s culture believes that colors represent emotions and can bring that emotion when you wear that color. The colors of what she is wearing or chooses to wear symbolizes her desires of the feeling she has or wants. The type of clothing helps Sumita identify herself. Throughout most of the story she wears a traditional Indian sari, but later Sumita’s husband, Somesh introduces traditional American clothes to her which excites her. When Somesh is murdered, Sumita comes to

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