Character Clues

Character Analysis

Thoughts and Opinions

We never spend too much time wondering what Koly's thinking because she comes right out and tells us. For instance, when she doesn't get what she wants on her wedding day, she says:

I thought it very unfair that a bride should not have a coconut cake on the day of her own wedding. (1.53)

Koly, we feel you. And insofar as characterization goes, it's clear that despite being young and following her parents' and society's expectations outwardly, inwardly Koly is critical of what's going on around her and comfortable trusting her own assessment of things. We learn a lot about Koly and her feelings as she shares her thoughts and ideas with us. If you think about it, the whole book is one long list of her thoughts (for more on this, swing by the "Narration" section), so by the end we know Koly oh so well.

Actions

We are completely confident when we say that Mrs. Mehta is a bitter and unhappy woman. Why? Because of how nasty she is to Koly. Whether she's scheming to use the girl's dowry, trying to get her hands on her silver earrings, or nitpicking her chores, Mrs. Mehta shows time and again through her behavior that she is miserable and not to be trusted.

On the flip side, Koly is resilient—again something we can see in her actions. Despite Mrs. Mehta's nastiness, for instance, Koly keeps trying to figure out how to get by in the Mehta home. And as this proves difficult, Koly tries to figure out how to make her escape; she never gives up.

Because Koly's our narrator and we're stuck inside her head, the actions of other characters are a great way to gauge who they really are. Sure, we usually get Koly's thoughts on the matter, but actions are a way to decide for ourselves who the people she encounters truly are.