Lynette Clemetson: A Summary

are many social rules surrounding marriage and individuals are under enormous pressure to marry within their caste and religion, though almost all prefer to marry within their community on the belief that they share common beliefs and practices. To break such rules could cost the support of family, friends and community, a heavy price in such a community oriented society.

According to sociologist Lynette Clemetson, the relative lack of support, that inter-cultural couples might receive from friends and family in the initial period of their relationship, can give rise to trust issues between them, later which makes the relationship difficult. (www.loveinindia.co.in).

This is what Mrs. Mehra was afraid of and she desperately takes Lata from Brahmpur to Calcutta where her son Arun Mehra is living. She immediately starts searching a suitable boy for Lata.

Kabir was irresponsible, insincere and had casual outlook towards everything. When Malati clarifies later reiterating Kabir’s sincerity Lata is only relieved. She explains to Malati, […] I’ve learned something as a result of all this wretchedness- about myself and about […] the strangeness of my own feelings for him.(1266). But, torn between passion and filial duties, she sobs her heart out. When Kabir raises the topic of mixed marriages, Lata tells with an air of finality. Ours wouldn’t work. No one else will let it work. And now I can’t even trust myself.(1287) She then agrees to marry Haresh. She values the innate qualities of Haresh and accepts him as her husband. Both Amit and Kabir are impractical lovers for Lata and she rejects their outer life of ‘telegrams and angers’ (the phrase taken from E.M.Forster’s Howard End) in favour of the inner life of personal relations, actualities of material life, represented by Harish. To help her in making up her mind, Haresh gives up his paan-chewing habit, he proudly asserts: I am a practical man and I am proud of it.