Societal Evolution

This story is set in a time of considerable change. The British colonial empire is evaporating piece by piece and countries like India are establishing their own societies with new rules. Old ways of doing business or conducting social engagements no longer apply, and people caught in the transition react in various ways. The Smalleys, and perhaps Mr. Bhoolabhoy, are lost in a new world that is leaving them behind. Mrs. Bhoolabhoy is part of the force creating that new world where financial worth is becoming more important than family or honor.

Within this climate there are still things that remain unchanged. Whether the society is English or Indian, a social structure remains firmly in place. There is an accepted way to behave and an accepted class hierarchy. A British "blueblood" and an Indian General will equally look down on the Eurasian shopkeeper who is representative of...