Discussion for The Space Between Us

[Diane , Armchair Tour Guide]

Start discussion here for The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar.

[Diane , Armchair Tour Guide]

Description from ReadingGroupGuides

Each morning, Bhima, a domestic servant in contemporary Bombay, leaves her own small shanty in the slums to tend to another woman's house. In Sera Dubash's home, Bhima scrubs the floors of a house in which she remains an outsider. She cleans furniture she is not permitted to sit on. She washes glasses from which she is not allowed to drink. Yet despite being separated from each other by blood and class, she and Sera find themselves bound by gender and shared life experiences.

Sera is an upper-middle-class Parsi housewife whose opulent surroundings hide the shame and disappointment of her abusive marriage. A widow, she devotes herself to her family, spending much of her time caring for her pregnant daughter, Dinaz, a kindhearted, educated professional, and her charming and successful son-in-law, Viraf.

Bhima, a stoic illiterate hardened by a life of despair and loss, has worked in the Dubash household for more than twenty years. Cursed by fate, she sacrifices all for her beautiful, headstrong granddaughter, Maya, a university student whose education -- paid for by Sera -- will enable them to escape the slums. But when an unwed Maya becomes pregnant by a man whose identity she refuses to reveal, Bhima's dreams of a better life for her granddaughter, as well as for herself, may be shattered forever.

Poignant and compelling, evocative and unforgettable, The Space Between Us is an intimate portrait of a distant yet familiar world. Set in modern-day India and witnessed through two compelling and achingly real women, the novel shows how the lives of the rich and the poor are intrinsically connected yet vastly removed from each other, and vividly captures how the bonds of womanhood are pitted against the divisions of class and culture.


About the Author from author's website (umrigar.com)

Thrity was born in Bombay, India and came to the U.S. when she was 21. As a Parsi child attending a Catholic school in a predominantly Hindu country, she had the kind of schizophrenic and cosmopolitan childhood that has served her well in her life as a writer. Accused by teachers and parents alike of being a daydreaming, head-in-the-clouds child, she grew up lost in the fictional worlds created by Steinbeck, Hemingway, Woolf and Faulkner. She would emerge long enough from these books to create her own fictional and poetic worlds. Encouraged by her practical-minded parents to get an undergraduate degree in business, Thrity survived business school by creating a drama club and writing, directing and acting in plays. Her first short stories, essays and poems were published in national magazines and newspapers in India at age fifteen.
After earning a M.A. in journalism in the U.S., Thrity worked for several years as an award-winning reporter, columnist and magazine writer. She also earned a Ph.D. in English. In 1999, Thrity won a one-year Nieman Fellowship to Harvard University, which is given to mid-career journalists.
While at Harvard, Thrity wrote her first novel, Bombay Time. In 2002 she accepted a teaching position at Case Western Reserve University, where she is now the Armington Professor of English. She also does occasional freelance pieces for national publications and has written for the Washington Post and the Boston Globe's book pages.

[Diane , Armchair Tour Guide]

Discussion Questions issued by Publisher for Lit Lovers

1. At the end of The Space Between Us, Sera has a tough choice to make. Can you envision a scenario where she could've made a different choice? What would it have taken for her to have made a different choice? And what would be the consequences of that choice?

2. The novel deals with a relationship that, despite all the good will in the world, is ultimately based on the exploitation of one human being by another. Has this novel caused you to look at any situations in your own life where you may be benefiting from the labor or poverty of another?

3. Remarking on the fact that Bhima is not allowed to sit on the furniture in Sera Dubash's home, or drink from the same glass, it could be said that the novel is about a kind of "Indian Apartheid." Do you think that's putting it too strongly? If not, can you identify any parallels in contemporary America?

4. The novel tracks the lives of two women. Trace some of the ways in which their lives resemble each other's. What are the points of departure?

5. Neither Sera nor Bhima end up with happy, successful marriages. Why? Trace the factors that cause each marriage to fail. And for all its failings, which woman has the better marriage?

6. Sera's mother-in-law, Banu, makes life miserable for the young Sera. Is Banu the kind of mother-in-law that many American women can identify with? Examine the ways in which she is or isn't the typical in-law.

7. The Afghani balloonwalla is a minor but pivotal character in the novel. What is his role? What does he symbolize or represent?

8. The novel is told from the points of view of the two women, Bhima and Sera. Should it have included more points of view? For instance, should Viraf have had his own "voice"?

9. How do you read the ending of the book? Is it a hopeful ending? Do you think the ending is justified, given what awaits Bhima the next day?

10. What is your opinion about Sera, especially given the choice she makes in the end. Is she a sympathetic character? Or is she part of the problem?

11. This is a novel about the intersection of class and gender. Can you think of ways in which gender bonds the two women and ways in which class divides them?

12. Is Gopal justified in being furious at Bhima for having signed the contract that the accountant puts before her during the cab ride to the hospital? Would the family's fate have been different if she hadn't signed that paper?

13. Two characters who help Bhima—Hyder, the boy in the hospital and the Afghani balloon seller, both happen to be Muslims. Why? What does the novel say about the issues of religious and communal divisions in India?

14. What does this novel say about the importance of education? Think of some examples where the lack of education hurts a character and conversely, instances of where having an education benefits someone.

15. In some ways, the city of Bombay is a character in the novel. What are your impressions of Bombay after having read this novel? Does the author portray the city with affection or disdain?

16. What societal changes and/or personal choices would need to be different in order for us to envision the possibility of someone like Bhima having a better life?

17. The author has said that although the plot of The Space Between Us is a work of fiction, the character of Bhima is based on a woman who used to work in her home when the writer was a teenager. Is there any person in your own life who has inspired you enough to want to write a book about them? What is it about that person that had a deep impact on you?

[Missy J]

Diane, the questions above are all double ^.^ In the Publisher for Lit Lovers section, between question 7 and 8, there's an extra question that hasn't been enumerated yet.

Back to the book: I finished reading it last night, this was my first time reading Umrigar. Very keen to read another book by her after this. I thought "The Space Between Us" was a very eye-opening story on Bombay society, the complexity between employer and domestic helper, and the Indian class divide.

Now to the questions:

1. At the end of The Space Between Us, Sera has a tough choice to make. Can you envision a scenario where she could've made a different choice? What would it have taken for her to have made a different choice? And what would be the consequences of that choice?
Honestly, I wish Sera would've acted differently, but I can't imagine such a scenario in reality. Sera has been abused by her husband and mother-in-law to the point that her self-esteem is seriously damaged. Now that her tormentors are not around anymore, she just wants to enjoy the last couple of years with her daughter, son-in-law and grandchild. Accusing Viraf would mean more drama and friction in the family, and she is tired of that. She isn't courageous enough to face the fact that her daughter Dinaz married and is expecting a baby by a cruel man. But now she has another shadow cast over her life, which will just add an extra layer to her misery.

2. The novel deals with a relationship that, despite all the good will in the world, is ultimately based on the exploitation of one human being by another. Has this novel caused you to look at any situations in your own life where you may be benefiting from the labor or poverty of another?
There is so much that we consume that has been produced and manufactured by slave labor. Cheap clothes, food, gadgets... It's all around us.

3. Remarking on the fact that Bhima is not allowed to sit on the furniture in Sera Dubash's home, or drink from the same glass, it could be said that the novel is about a kind of "Indian Apartheid." Do you think that's putting it too strongly? If not, can you identify any parallels in contemporary America?
The caste system has been in place in India for thousands of years. It is still ingrained in Indian society. Very difficult to change the system.

4. The novel tracks the lives of two women. Trace some of the ways in which their lives resemble each other's. What are the points of departure?
Both Sera and Bhima end up disappointed with their husbands. Both Sera and Bhima love their children/granddaughter and hope for a better future for them.
The difference between the two of them lies in matters of ethnicity, religion, education and financial situation.

5. Neither Sera nor Bhima end up with happy, successful marriages. Why? Trace the factors that cause each marriage to fail. And for all its failings, which woman has the better marriage?
Sera rushed into the marriage with Feroz too quickly due to societal pressure for women to marry before 30. She didn't know that Feroz had manic ways and that he would end up beating her.
Her parents marriage was smooth and Feroz seemed to hail from a well-to-do family, she really didn't expect misery.
Bhima's marriage fell apart when her husband Gopal lost his 3 fingers in a work-related accident and thereafter became an alcoholic when he couldn't find work and was cheated out of his pension money. Bhima doesn't recognize the man she married anymore since the alcohol has turned her husband into a monster, who betrayed her in the end by taking away their son and moving to the country side.
Between the two women, I think that Bhima had the "better" marriage. Gopal at least was a good man to her prior to the accident. Feroz was just a cruel man who wasn't able to stand up to his own mother and beat Sera because he couldn't control his anger.


6. Sera's mother-in-law, Banu, makes life miserable for the young Sera. Is Banu the kind of mother-in-law that many American women can identify with? Examine the ways in which she is or isn't the typical in-law.

7. The Afghani balloonwalla is a minor but pivotal character in the novel. What is his role? What does he symbolize or represent?
The Afghani ballonwalla is supposed to symbolize the outcast, the lonely guy in Bombay who has left his home country to make a living in the crowded city of Bombay. Even though he doesn't have much money or education, he creates wonderful balloons that fascinate children and make the world a prettier and more magical place. His ability to detach himself from the misery of life, create beautiful things (the balloons) and know how to live with loneliness (far away from home) is one of the reasons why Bhima admires him so much.

8. The novel is told from the points of view of the two women, Bhima and Sera. Should it have included more points of view? For instance, should Viraf have had his own "voice"?
I think 2 voices was just perfect. Telling the story of Bhima's and Sera's perspective shows the reader how despite their educational, financial and class differences, Bhima and Sera care about the same things and suffer similar tribulations. I would not like to hear Viraf's voice. Including Dinaz's or Maya's voice would've overwhelmed this book.

9. How do you read the ending of the book? Is it a hopeful ending? Do you think the ending is justified, given what awaits Bhima the next day?
It paints a hopeful picture with Bhima buying balloons and letting them fly over the sea, which should symbolize her letting go of the past and Sera. Unfortunately, I don't think that it's a happy ending. To me, it's bleak, because it's just a moment of relief. The next day, Bhima will have to face the reality of not having a job and Maya not having a chance on a college education.

10. What is your opinion about Sera, especially given the choice she makes in the end. Is she a sympathetic character? Or is she part of the problem?
She is not an evil character per se. In fact she has good intentions since she offers to pay for Maya's education and keeps Bhima for so long as her domestic helper so that Bhima can make a living. Unfortunately the people around Sera continuously gossip about the domestic help, making Sera unsure about herself and Bhima. All in all, Sera is just a passive character who despite her good intentions, can really not help Bhima. Most people around the world are like Sera.

11. This is a novel about the intersection of class and gender. Can you think of ways in which gender bonds the two women and ways in which class divides them?
see answer to Q 4

12. Is Gopal justified in being furious at Bhima for having signed the contract that the accountant puts before her during the cab ride to the hospital? Would the family's fate have been different if she hadn't signed that paper?
He was really harsh towards Bhima, because Bhima was just caught in a moment of weakness when she signed that document. But at the same time, he has lost his work, 3 fingers and ability to provide for his family. It really depressed him how his life changed.
I don't know how much could've been different if Bhima had not signed that document. Maybe they could've asked for a little bit more money. But I don't think he could've gotten a lot, since the system doesn't work in favor of people in Gopal's class.

13. Two characters who help Bhima—Hyder, the boy in the hospital and the Afghani balloon seller, both happen to be Muslims. Why? What does the novel say about the issues of religious and communal divisions in India?
India is a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society which also includes tensions between the different groups. Bhima is a Hindu and doesn't have a favorable view of Muslims (she told Sera that Muslims are intentionally having a lot of babies in order to take over India). However, when meeting the Afghan balloon seller and Hyder, Bhima comes to realize that people from other religious faith have actually helped her out, instead of the people of her own faith. It helps Bhima to look past religion and ethnicity.

14. What does this novel say about the importance of education? Think of some examples where the lack of education hurts a character and conversely, instances of where having an education benefits someone.
Education is very important in order to protect yourself and provide a better living for yourself and your family. Because she couldn't read, Bhima signed a document that didn't allow her husband to sue the company that was responsible for his work-related accident. Everybody in Sera's family is very well-educated and can therefore make a good living.

15. In some ways, the city of Bombay is a character in the novel. What are your impressions of Bombay after having read this novel? Does the author portray the city with affection or disdain?
The impression I get of Bombay is that it's a very multi-cultural place with many different faces. It is overwhelming when when the characters commute. But at the same time, Bhima and Maya find peace when strolling around Chowpatty Beach. It is a very big and multifaceted character!

16. What societal changes and/or personal choices would need to be different in order for us to envision the possibility of someone like Bhima having a better life?
A lot has to change. The government has to invest in the education of the lower class so that they are equipped to tackle problems and take care of their families. More education and enlightenment is also needed in terms of gender relations. Men should not view women as objects anymore. More efforts are needed to bridge the gap between the upper and lower class, eradicate the "ethnic" and "religious" divides for a more cohesive society, however, I don't think that this can be achieved in our lifetime. As I mentioned before, the class difference in India are very deeply ingrained.

17. The author has said that although the plot of The Space Between Us is a work of fiction, the character of Bhima is based on a woman who used to work in her home when the writer was a teenager. Is there any person in your own life who has inspired you enough to want to write a book about them? What is it about that person that had a deep impact on you?
I would write a book about my grandfather. Because he lived a very interesting life and witnessed a lot of change from his birth in 1927 to his death in 2014. His human dreams and human flaws are what inspire the most.

[Diane , Armchair Tour Guide]

Missy J wrote: "Diane, the questions above are all double ^.^ In the Publisher for Lit Lovers section, between question 7 and 8, there's an extra question that hasn't been enumerated yet.
"

Ha. I think something went awry with my copying and pasting, because I am certain they were different. 17 is plenty, anyway. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!

[Diane , Armchair Tour Guide]

I started reading this yesterday and am enjoying it so far.

[Missy J]

Diane wrote: "I started reading this yesterday and am enjoying it so far."

Hope you enjoy reading this book. So far, I found all our chosen India books very interesting and diverse.

Sea of Poppies - historical fiction about Opium War

A Breath of Fresh Air - chick lit about the Bhopal Incident and its aftermath

The Space Between Us - class differences, employer and domestic helper relationship in a multi ethnic, multi religious Bombay

[Ruth]

I’ve just finished reading and beginning to digest it all. Perhaps the questions will help me process my feelings. I’ll need to come back in a day or two. Anyway here are some thoughts on the first few questions.

1. Sera’s choice: I think that she made her choice partly to protect her daughter. We know she has tried to protect Dinaz from finding out how Feroz was violent towards her. I think she could only have made a different choice if Dinaz had been present, something Viraf makes sure doesn’t happen. We know that she wasn’t able to make the split from her husband (and his charming father) and admit to her parents that she was a victim of her husband’s violent behaviour and she is doing the same with her son in law.

2. A relationship based on the exploitation of one human being by another: we are all both exploiters – cheap goods from factories like the one where Gopal worked, food sold at less than the cost of production…. But like Bhima we can be exploited by big business, family and societal expectations, prejudice…

3. "Indian Apartheid"? From what the novel reveals I don’t think it is unjustified to talk of apartheid. It’s always easier to recognise that in a different society than your own. In the UK we also have divisions that we need to acknowledge. The chance of a black, working class student getting into a top university is very low, many if not most of our political and business leaders come from privileged backgrounds

4. The lives of two women. Similarities and differences: it might seem at first that there are more things that divide them (class, caste, education, financial situation) but I think these are outnumbered by the similarities. Both are bound by society’s expectations and suffer stoically. Both are swept off their feet by their husbands and ultimately disappointed in who their husbands turn out to be. Both are reliant on somebody else to provide for them financially, Sera on her parents and then her husband’s family and Bhima on her employment in Sera’s home. They are able to reveal their problems to each other, Bhima treats Sera’s physical bruises and provides her with moral support, Bhima confides in Sera about Maya’s pregnancy. Both want to protect their children and grandchildren from the darker realities of life.

[Diane , Armchair Tour Guide]

1. At the end of The Space Between Us, Sera has a tough choice to make. Can you envision a scenario where she could've made a different choice? What would it have taken for her to have made a different choice? And what would be the consequences of that choice?
I wish, too, that she had made another choice, but it didn't completely surprise me given her history of not standing up for herself or what she believes in. Given the class distinctions and the role expectations it is doubtful that there would be another outcome. (view spoiler)[I am sure that Viraf banked on this. (hide spoiler)] I also agree that she was trying to protect her daughter.

2. The novel deals with a relationship that, despite all the good will in the world, is ultimately based on the exploitation of one human being by another. Has this novel caused you to look at any situations in your own life where you may be benefiting from the labor or poverty of another?
Unfortunately, we benefit from the labor of less fortunate people around the world every day. The better off we are, the more we benefit from the lower fortunes of others.

3. Remarking on the fact that Bhima is not allowed to sit on the furniture in Sera Dubash's home, or drink from the same glass, it could be said that the novel is about a kind of "Indian Apartheid." Do you think that's putting it too strongly? If not, can you identify any parallels in contemporary America?
I don't think "Indian Apartheid" is putting it too strongly. Where a person is on the caste system profoundly effects their opportunities and privileges. The lives of the lowest-caste or "untouchables" are very different from those of the upper castes. Although there is not a caste system in the US, there has always been a big difference between the privileged dominant society and people in marginalized groups.

4. The novel tracks the lives of two women. Trace some of the ways in which their lives resemble each other's. What are the points of departure?
Similarities: Both are women in a male-dominated society. Both had disappointments in their relationships with their husbands. Both loved their children and sacrificed to ensure their happiness.
Differences: Social class, education, religion, and financial status.

5. Neither Sera nor Bhima end up with happy, successful marriages. Why? Trace the factors that cause each marriage to fail. And for all its failings, which woman has the better marriage?
This is a difficult question to answer. Both marriages failed, but for different reasons.
Sera: I don't think she and Feroz knew each other very well when they got married. He put on a fake persona that she fell for, which he quickly discarded after they were married. She basically fell in love with someone that didn't really exist. She also assumed that her marriage would be more like that of her parents and her friends, (view spoiler)[despite warnings about Feroz's mother. Feroz was the product of an abusive mother, and became abusive himself. The custom of living with the in-laws also harmed their marriage due to the influence and abuse as a result of her mother-in-law. Perhaps things would have been better if they had started out away from her. (hide spoiler)]
Bhima: She and her husband seemed to truly love each other (view spoiler)[until he had his accident. The cruelties of poverty, being unable to work due to a disfiguring injury, and having Bhima be tricked into signing away the rights to his pension led him to drink and changed him in a negative way. He left her and took their son with him, leaving only a letter for explanation, which was particularly cruel considering that she couldn't read (hide spoiler)].
Overall, I think Bhima had the better marriage, since her husband and she had a good relationship for many years. Feroz and Sera never had a loving relationship. In terms of financial security and comfort, Sera was much better off.

6. Sera's mother-in-law, Banu, makes life miserable for the young Sera. Is Banu the kind of mother-in-law that many American women can identify with? Examine the ways in which she is or isn't the typical in-law.
Banu is definitely not the typical mother-in-law. In American culture, it is not an expectation to live with your in-laws. Few women would put up with that kind of treatment from their MIL before moving out. Apparently, she wasn't typical of their society, either, Sera's mother was also a Parsi, and did not adhere to the same superstitious beliefs as Banu, neither did her mother's friends.

7. The Afghani balloonwalla is a minor but pivotal character in the novel. What is his role? What does he symbolize or represent?
Missy answered this better than I ever could in post 4. I perfectly agree.

8. The novel is told from the points of view of the two women, Bhima and Sera. Should it have included more points of view? For instance, should Viraf have had his own "voice"?
I think the two voices were part of the purpose of the book. Additional voices would have strayed from this purpose. Personally, I wouldn't have wanted to hear Viraf's POV.

9. How do you read the ending of the book? Is it a hopeful ending? Do you think the ending is justified, given what awaits Bhima the next day?
I do think that it was a hopeful ending given the situation. It was very symbolic. However, in reality, there is little hope for her situation or Maya's.

10. What is your opinion about Sera, especially given the choice she makes in the end. Is she a sympathetic character? Or is she part of the problem?
Tough question. I think a little of both. Sera is very passive character due to circumstances in her life. She shows kindness and generosity toward Bhima and Maya that is uncharacteristic of a person of her station, which makes her a sympathetic character. Her passivity, however, is also part of the problem. Her passivity in the end adversely impacted Bhima and Maya's lives.

11. This is a novel about the intersection of class and gender. Can you think of ways in which gender bonds the two women and ways in which class divides them?
Bonds: The cultural roles and expectations of women in their society, motherhood and love for their children, loyalty to their husbands and families, and how they both made sacrifices in their own lives for the sake of those they loved.
Divides: the caste system and class expectations, different beliefs and traditions, their standard of living, education and literacy, societal rights and privileges.

12. Is Gopal justified in being furious at Bhima for having signed the contract that the accountant puts before her during the cab ride to the hospital? Would the family's fate have been different if she hadn't signed that paper?
Perhaps initially, but once Gopal understood what had really happened he should have directed his hostility elsewhere. He knew she had been lied to because she was unable to read. I think the family's fate would have been different if she hadn't signed the paper. He still would have had difficulties, but they would have at least been better off financially. He may have still turned to alcohol due to his difficulties coping with his disability. Hard to say.

13. Two characters who help Bhima—Hyder, the boy in the hospital and the Afghani balloon seller, both happen to be Muslims. Why? What does the novel say about the issues of religious and communal divisions in India?
Bhima initially felt distrust toward Muslims, probably due to her upbringing. They helped her in her time of need when others did not, which helped change her opinion and see the goodness in others whose beliefs differed from hers. I think this showed how prejudice is often caused by misconceptions and that there human kindness can transcend differences in religion or communal divisions.

14. What does this novel say about the importance of education? Think of some examples where the lack of education hurts a character and conversely, instances of where having an education benefits someone.
The novel emphasized the importance of education many times. Bhima's inability to read caused her many difficulties, including (view spoiler)[losing her husband's pension (hide spoiler)]. Education gave a better standard of living. Lack of education caused some of the characters to have poor-paying jobs and poor working conditions, as in Bopal's case. The educated characters had more of a voice in society. Those who were not educated were exploited in different ways and did not receive adequate or treatment or medical care.

15. In some ways, the city of Bombay is a character in the novel. What are your impressions of Bombay after having read this novel? Does the author portray the city with affection or disdain?
Bombay was a different place for different people. It was a more pleasant place for those of the higher class than the lower class. It was a very harsh place for those in poverty.

16. What societal changes and/or personal choices would need to be different in order for us to envision the possibility of someone like Bhima having a better life?
A lot would need to change. Class divisions and distinctions would need to be blurred - a LOT. Equal rights and opportunities would need to exist for women and people from all social classes, ethnicities, and religions. Education would need to improve to provide a more level playing field between the "haves" and "have nots". Traditional role expectations between men and women would need to change as well