“Even though Shannon told me you were Indian, I just assumed you were born abroad. You sound like a pucca American.”

Upon learning Smita lived in India until she was 14, Mohan expresses surprise, as she does not sound like an emigrant, but rather a “pucca American.” Although pucca is a Hindustani word (meaning “solid” or “permanent”), it was once used during British rule of India, most often as part of the phrase “pucca sahib,” meaning the “right” kind of British ruler. Thus, Mohan’s comment is likely a jab at American cultural imperialism.

“Smita Agarwal looked out of the car window onto the streets of a city she had once loved, a city she’d spend the last twenty years trying to forget.”

This quote foreshadows Smita’s painful past. Until she reveals her trauma later in Honor, the reader is left to speculate why she is trying to forget India and whether or not she’ll be able to remain professional while covering Meena’s story.

“Mohan’s tone was ironic, as if he was mocking himself. Still, no self-respecting American male would have admitted to such a thing. If one of the Indian American men her mother had tried setting her up with when she was younger had made such a confession to her, she would have been contemptuous. But as she stood there in the hospital hallway, Mohan’s admission felt normal. Human. She could see his point of view.”

Mohan just admitted he does not like being alone and is not independent like Smita. She cannot help but compare him to Indian American men but realizes he is more authentic, or “human,” as she calls him. This reflection suggests she is dynamic, someone capable of change. It also suggests Smita and Mohan’s relationship will become less antagonistic as the novel progresses.