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Chapter 8
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Henna Artist, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Choice, Independence and Women’s Freedoms
Family and Responsibility
Societal Hierarchy vs. Unordered Intimacy
Care and Communication
Creativity vs. Possession
Summary
Analysis
It’s February 12, 1956, and it’s Radha’s first day at the maharani’s school. Lakshmi admires all the cars with drivers, and the impeccable uniforms, which Latika herself picked out. Since it is her first day, Lakshmi has promised to take Radha out to lunch. Now, Radha comes down the steps to meet her—though Sheela Sharma cuts her off as she rushes into her family’s sedan.
Lakshmi spends much of her time in upper-crust environments as a servant, but now, Radha is on equal footing with girls like Sheela Sharma. In other words, the clear lines dividing class and caste are becoming increasingly blurry as the sisters enter the intimate lives of Jaipur ladies.
Themes
Lakshmi, carrying only a handbag, tries to cope with Radha’s lack of enthusiasm as they walk to a nearby snack shop. Though Lakshmi does not normally approve of street food, she wants to make an exception for the special occasion. Two other girls with the same uniform walk past, but Radha feels too lost in her own world to try to say hello.
Radha’s inability to engage with her new schoolmates is an early sign that she feels uncomfortable in this new high-status world. Rather than picking up on this, however, Lakshmi reads Radha’s discomfort as being purely about herself.
Themes
As they eat, Lakshmi talks about how proud their pitaji would have been. Radha only replies that, as a believer in free education for all castes, “he would have been happy with the government school.” Radha wolfs her food, even when Lakshmi chides her to eat “like a lady.” At her older sister’s request, Radha describes her teachers, though she is critical of them for being mean or having dandruff.
Increasingly, Radha is emerging as a character of contradictions. She prides herself on her appearance and pubescent appeal, yet she also struggles to hold herself with the dignity of a “lady”; she is rude about her teachers even as she shares her father’s sense of justice and equality.
Themes
To support her sister’s love of writing, Lakshmi gifts her a beautiful pen: Wilson 1st Quality Fine. Radha is unenthused—instead of thanking Lakshmi, she merely says “if I lose it, you’ll be angry.” Lakshmi calls Radha choti behen, or “little sister,” and realizes it is the first time she has ever used those words. Radha thanks her sister and asks to go back to school, saying she is behind on her schoolwork because she had to grind the henna paste that morning. Lakshmi offers to let Radha quit the henna practice, but Radha ignores her.
Once again, Lakshmi tries to display her love with gifts and special permissions, instead of with words—after all, months into Radha’s visit, Lakshmi has only ever used the affectionate term “choti behen” once. But because Lakshmi does not put explicit language to her feelings of love and protectiveness, Radha cannot help but misinterpret her sister’s day-to-day actions as bossy—and her moments of tenderness as insincere.
Themes
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Lost in thought, Lakshmi leaves the restaurant. Her builder, Naraya, stops her. He muses that he would love to send his daughter to such a fancy school and informs Lakshmi that she has missed the extension date on her payments. Because she is one day late, he has doubled her total—and if she doesn’t pay by today, he is legally allowed to take possession of her home. Despite the palace commission, Lakshmi is short: her money has gone to supplies, Radha, and Hari.
Lakshmi’s interaction with Naraya shows just how fragile—and how coveted—her newfound social mobility is. Though externally, Lakshmi seems to have more status than Naraya, he also has the power to do great damage to her. Also worth noting: Lakshmi’s need to pay for things for Radha and Hari continues to demonstrate the possible burdens (emotionally and financially) of family ties.
Themes
Naraya explains that he has figured out a way to marry his pregnant daughter off to another man, but he needs the dowry money—the marriage will only work if the man does not know his bride is with child. Desperate, Lakshmi realizes she will need to borrow money from Samir, even though she hates being in debt. On the rickshaw ride to his office, Lakshmi wonders if she is any better than Hari, after all.
Though fertility is a sought-after virtue, as seen in both Lakshmi and Kanta’s marriages, a pregnancy out of wedlock could be life-ruining. Naraya’s plan for his daughter therefore shows both his own ruthlessness and the contradictory, impossible expectations placed on women’s sexuality.
Themes
Lakshmi arrives at Samir’s office and explains her predicament. Though he whistles at the amount of money, Samir is quick to give Lakshmi the entire sum, and she is grateful that he has made the whole thing feel easy. On her way out, Lakshmi crashes into Parvati and has no excuse for why she is in Samir’s building. Lakshmi feels just like Radha did when she was caught with Ravi, and sure enough, the next day, Parvati cancels her next appointment.
This scene forms a sort of mirror image to the scene in the library, where Parvati glimpsed Lakshmi talking to Samir. Parvati now has multiple pieces of evidence that there is something romantic (or at the very least improper) happening with her employee and her husband. And by canceling her future appointments, she sends a message about Lakshmi’s work to all of Jaipur society.
Themes
