Secret Daughter

The novel covers a period of over two decades, from 1984 to 2009, and the novel is divided in four parts. What is the significance of the author structuring the novel in this way? How does it shape our understanding of Asha’s story? Discuss time and the structure of the novel, specifically as it relates to the parallel stories of Kavita and Somer. 

Secret Daughter unpacks the social convention that motherhood is a fundamental, inherent part of womanhood. Examine women who are not mothers in the novel and compare and contrast them with Somer’s and Kavita’s stories. How do they expose the way in which this deeply rooted societal belief is not always the case? 

Marriage, as an institution, is wildly different in Western and Eastern cultures, as portrayed in Secret Daughter. How do Kris and Jasu exemplify or subvert the role of a husband in their respective cultures? Are they stereotypical or not?