Cricket

Cricket symbolizes different things to different characters, but for the most part, it represents an ideal form of success. Most of the novel’s characters believe that success in cricket is the ideal form of mastery over one’s destiny. Mohan believes that if his sons succeed in cricket, it will lift them out of poverty and make up for his wife’s departure from their lives.

Manju and Radha, raised to value success in cricket over everything else, have no choice but to view professional cricket as their ultimate goal. Tommy Sir articulates success in cricket as mastery over one’s baser nature; Karim Ali sees cricket as a way to empower the people of India; and Anand Mehta sees it as an avenue for financial success. The unifying theme for these views is that success in cricket appears analogous to success in life.

Money