Summary

Page 3 -- The novel begins with a letter from the narrator to the reader. Nurse Tyler, the narrator, introduces himself and outlines his intentions for the the narrative; his hope is that his words will reach a wide readership and eventually be taken up by Asha Ramchandin, that she might recognize herself and her family in his account. He encourages any reader who may know Asha—or any woman who might fit into the narrative and could be Asha living under a different name—to approach her with a copy of the manuscript that she might read it and come visit her sister. Tyler concludes by asking the reader to excuse him for the inclusion of any part of his own story in the Ramchandin narrative, stating that, while he has tried not to center himself as much as possible in what follows...