When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine

by

Jhumpa Lahiri

Bangladesh Liberation War Term Analysis

The Bangladesh Liberation War (also called the Bangladesh War of Independence) was a 1971 revolution that resulted in the independence of Bangladesh. The war was the result of ongoing cultural and political conflict between the ruling establishment in West Pakistan and the rising Bengali nationalist movement in East Pakistan. In March 1971, the West Pakistan military invaded East Pakistan and committed genocide against the East Pakistani people, resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths. Fighting continued throughout 1971, and war was formally declared on December 4th, 1971. India joined on the side of East Pakistan, and on December 16, 1971, West Pakistan surrendered. West Pakistan became Pakistan, and East Pakistan became the independent nation of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Liberation War Quotes in When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine

The When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine quotes below are all either spoken by Bangladesh Liberation War or refer to Bangladesh Liberation War. For each quote, you can also see the other terms and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Family, Ritual, and Shared Time Theme Icon
).
When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine Quotes

In the autumn of 1971 a man used to come to our house, bearing confections in his pocket and hopes of ascertaining the life or death of his family.

Related Characters: Lilia (speaker), Mr. Pirzada
Related Symbols: Candy, TV
Page Number: 23
Explanation and Analysis:

We learned American history, of course, and American geography. That year, and every year, it seemed, we began by studying the Revolutionary War. We were taken in school buses on field trips to visit Plymouth Rock, and to walk the Freedom Trail, and to climb to the top of the Bunker Hill Monument. We made dioramas out of colored construction paper depicting George Washington crossing the choppy waters of the Delaware River, and we made puppets of King George wearing white tights and a black bow in his hair. During tests we were given blank maps of the thirteen colonies, and asked to fill in names, dates, capitals. I could do it with my eyes closed.

Related Characters: Lilia (speaker), Lilia’s Father
Page Number: 27
Explanation and Analysis:
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Bangladesh Liberation War Term Timeline in When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine

The timeline below shows where the term Bangladesh Liberation War appears in When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine
Diaspora, Alienation, and Loss Theme Icon
Independence, Revolution, and Violence Theme Icon
Youth and Innocence vs. Maturity and Responsibility Theme Icon
...anything less than full independence—and the war would be waged entirely on East Pakistani soil. War is officially declared on December 4th and lasts for 12 days. On December 16th, Dacca... (full context)