Book Club Discussion Questions
Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!
Fathered, through circuitous circumstances, by an Englishman,
Pran Nath
Razdan, the boy who will become the Impressionist, was passed off by his
Indian mother as the child of her husband, a wealthy man of high caste. Growing
up spoiled in a life of luxury just down river from the Taj Mahal, at fifteen
the news of Pran's true parentage is revealed to his father and he is tossed out
into the street—a pariah and an outcast. Thus begins an
extraordinary, near-mythical journey of a young man who must reinvent himself to
survive—not once, but many times.
Imprisoned by a brothel and dressed in women's clothes, his sensuous beauty
is exploited as he is made to become
Rukhsana, a pawn in a game between
colony and empire. To a depraved British Major he becomes
Clive, an
object of desire taught to be a model English schoolboy. Escaping to Bombay he
begins a double life as
Robert, dutiful foster child to a Scottish
missionary couple and as
Pretty Bobby, errand boy and sometime pimp to
the tawdry women of the city's most notorious district.
But as political unrest begins to stir, Pran finds himself in the company of
a doomed young Englishman—an orphan named
Jonathan
Bridgeman. Having learned quickly that perception is a ready replacement for
reality, Pran soon finds himself on a boat bound for Southampton where, with
Bridgeman's passport, he will begin again. First in London, then at Oxford, the
Impressionist hones his chameleon-like skills, making himself whoever and
whatever he needs to be to obtain what he desires.
From Victorian India to Edwardian London, from an expatriate community of
black Americans in Paris to a hopeless expedition to study a lost tribe of
Africa, Hari Kunzru's unforgettable novel dazzles with its artistry and wit
while it challenges with its insights into what it means to be Indian or
English, black or white, and every degree that lies between them.
Discussion Questions
- The pale splendor of Pran Nath's skin was proof, in his aunts' opinion, of
the family's distinguished bloodline. But later, his milky complexion became
a telltale trait of his tainted heritage. Discuss the benefits and drawbacks
of this chameleon-like characteristic.
- Anjali chooses to reveal the truth of Pran Nath's ancestry at a point of
utter conflict, blaming the young master's blended blood for the epidemic
that had shadowed the city of Agra. Explain the magnitude of this
implication for Amar Nath Razdan.
- Does the protagonist choose to adopt each new guise, or do pressures of
the political or social climate force him to find a new persona? When does
he exhibit free will in his decision to change?
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- How does the author develop themes of identity and belonging throughout the narrative?
- What role does the setting play in shaping the characters' decisions and relationships?
- Discuss how the ending reframes the events of the story. Were you surprised?
Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Plume.
Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.
