The Other Family

The mother in "The Other Family", by Himani Bannerji, is a static character with various distinctive traits. First and foremost, the mother in the story is an impulsive character. The mother expresses discontent towards her daughter in the form of a harsh interrogation, however "as she lashed out these questions" she already "regretted them" (Bannerji 2). Performing an action only to feel remorse for it shortly after indicates the action was not meant to be done in the first place. This displays the fact that the mother does not manage to evaluate the potential consequences of her actions beforehand, leading to regrettable results. Having put little to no thought into her actions prior to acting out, the mother suits the very definition of impulsive behaviour. Furthermore, it is evident that the mother is also distressed. An explicit clue is how the mother feels "panic" at the "thought of losing her child" (2). The thought of a child becoming distant from their guardian is a disheartening idea, and is one that the mother perceives could become a possible reality for her and her daughter. As the mere thought throws the mother into a state of anguish and disarray, it illustrates her dire situation in which she is overwhelmed by worries, indicating distress. Finally, the mother is shown to be apprehensive. The mother's uncertainties about her daughter's potential future are characterized by the concerns of her daughter "always rejecting herself" (2). Based on the mother's "fearful vision" of her child, it is evident that she envisions a future in which it is her own daughter who is unable to accept her cultural identity (2). The pessimistic nature of these thoughts also signifies the mother cannot see anything positive arising from such a future. Evidently throughout the text, the mother's actions, speech and thoughts reflect her various traits as a troubled individual. The unfortunate reality is that many immigrants face issues similar to those of the mother, where attempting to embrace their native culture becomes an increasingly difficult task in today's society.