A Father

In the essay, A Father, by Bharati Mukherjee, the author has three main characters each is caught between the Indian and American cultures. The Bhowmick family, which includes the father, the mother, and their daughter, are all experiencing the constant pull of Indian and American identities.

In the essay we hear the story mainly from Mr. Bhowmick. He sees America as a frightening place and he tries to hold onto his Indian culture by keeping the statue on Kali and praying to her. According to the article named, Bhartiyakala, "Kali's boon is won when man confronts or accepts her and the realities she dramatically conveys to him. The image of Kali, in a variety of ways, teaches man that pain, sorrow, decay, death, and destruction are not to be overcome or conquered by denying them or explaining them away. Pain and sorrow are woven into the texture of man's life so thoroughly that to deny them is ultimately futile. For man to realize the fullness of his being, for man to exploit his potential as a human being, he must finally accept this dimension of existence".

For Mr. Bhowmick becoming American and adjusting to the American traditions seemed painful. Mr. Bhowmick attitude towards Kali is exaggerated. He gets up in the morning and spends time praying to it. It appears that he spends more time praying and thinking about Kali than in his own family. Mr. Bhowmick feels that if he stops praying to Kali, he is letting go of his Indian identity.