Symbolism, Setting, and Objects from Song of Kali

Object Descriptions

This section provides a short description of all the major objects in the book. This can be printed out as a study guide for students, used as a "key" for leading a class discussion, or you can jump to the quiz/homework section to find worksheets that incorporate these descriptions into a variety of question formats.

Objects

Calcutta, India - The primary setting for the novel.

Bengali Writers' Union - The professional association that contacts a magazine about publishing newly-discovered materials from the pen of a supposedly deceased poet.

Exeter, NH - The town closest to narrator Robert C. Bobby and Amrita Luczak's home.

Harper's Magazine - America's premier literary publication since before the Civil War.

Kali - A beautiful, terrifying Hindu goddess who is associated with death, violence, and sexuality.

Kapalika Society - The most notorious of the gangs that rule and terrorize large parts of an Indian metropolis.