"Rice" question and answer

by Jhumpa Lahiri

 

Comprehension

1.      How does Lahiri describe her father? What is his most important character trait?

Ans: She describes him as consistent and committed to routines. His methodical nature is his most notable trait.

2.      According to Lahiri, what is special about pulao? Why is it served just on festive occasion?

 

Ans: Unlike standard white rice, pulao involves a specific combination of ingredients and is served only on festive occasions, likely because of the involved cooking process. It is considered a sophisticated dish.

 

3.      What is annaprasan? Why is this occasion so important to Bengalis?

 

Ans: An annaprasan is an important occasion for the Hindus. An annaprasan is a special marking the first time a child is given solid food to eat. Culturally, it is considered a rite of passage. Relatives and neighbors are invited at home and they are served with delicious food items.

 

4.      Why, according to Lahiri, would she never try to make pulao?

 

Ans: She doesn’t fully understand the technique and ratio of ingredients her father used for the pulao, and he has never recorded his recipe. She sees the dish as an extension of her father that only he has the right to make.

 

5.      What does lahiri mean when she says that pulao is a dish for which her father “has earned the copyright”?

 

Ans: her father has reached a point with this dish that it is very closely associated with him; he is known for making pulao. He has made it for hundreds and hundreds of people on several occasions and knows the recipe by heart, and he seems to enjoy making it. His passion and skills for making the dish has made it a part of who he is as a person..

 

 

 

 

 Purpose and Audience

 

1.      How much does Lahiri assume her readers know about Bengali culture? How can you tell?

 

Ans: She assumes that the reader does not know much about the culture. When she uses Bengali words, like “andaj” and “annaprasan”, she explains what they mean. She also explains both the type of rice Bengalis often eat for dinner and how it differs from pulao.

 

2.      Is this essay simply about rice-more specially pulao- or is it also about something else? Explain.

 

Ans: The essay is more about the author’s father than it is about the dish itself. The author talks about how methodical her father is and expands upon this characteristic by using the pulao as an example. She writes about how skilled he is at estimating the ingredients accurately and the specificity of the ingredients he prefers to have. She also stresses how calm he is able to remain under pressure when she writes about how many people he cooks for and the ease at which he is able to adapt to new circumstances.

 

3.      Does this essay have an explicitly stated or an implied thesis? What dominant impression do you think Lahiri wants to convey?

 

Ans: The thesis is implied (indirectly stated), and is that Lahiri’s father’s methodical personality made him very skilled at cooking pulao. It seems that Lahiri wants to convey a dominant impression of warmth and respect for her father.

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