When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine

Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay.

Differentiation Suggestion: For English learners or struggling writers, strategies that work well include graphic organizers, sentence frames or starters, group work, or oral responses.

Scaffolded Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the bulleted outlines below. Cite details from the text over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. Lilia occupies a unique position in the story in that she exists in two different cultural spheres. At home, she is exposed to many aspects of Indian culture, but at school, she is expected to learn American history and participate in American traditions like Halloween.

• How does Lilia’s dual knowledge of Indian and American cultures impact her development? (topic sentence)
• Identify one example and explain how it substantiates your point.
• In which ways does Lilia’s unique position link to the theme Coming of Age as a Second-Generation Immigrant?

2. While the main focus on the story is the Bangladesh Liberation War, there is also a lot of attention given to the American Revolution, which is a subject of Lilia’s education at school. Consider the way the story juxtaposes these two conflicts.

• What message do you think the story is trying to convey about America’s attitude towards different wars? (topic sentence)
• Identify one example from the story to substantiate your point.
• How does this juxtaposition speak to the larger theme of Revolutionary Violence and American Insularity?

3. Consider the candy Lilia receives (both from Mr. Pirzada and on Halloween) in light of the story’s broader depiction of food.

• What role does food play in cementing social ties or reinforcing culture? (topic sentence)
• Does the candy function in the same way?
• How does Lahiri’s references to the sharing and consumption of food connect with the theme Rituals as Connection and Coping Mechanisms?

Full Essay Assignments

Student Prompt: Write a structured and well-developed essay. Include a thesis statement, at least three main points supported by text details, and a conclusion.

1. The story depicts numerous forms of loss. What forms of loss are presented? How do such forms of loss relate to the experience of being an immigrant and/or refugee?

2. Watches and time are a recurring motif in the story. Discuss the different ways in which time is important to the characters in the text. How do the characters’ preoccupation with time link with the global events of war and liberation?

3. Although most of the story takes place in Lilia’s home, there is also a brief scene in Dora’s house. Consider the role of home in the story as it relates to themes of culture, ritual, time, loss, and/or war. How does the idea of home and shelter provide a sense of comfort? How does it also provide a way of escape and insularity?