The setting of the story is Shahkot, a small town in India. The writer creates the image of Shahkot as being dull and untidy. The sky is filled with 'dust' caused by extreme droughts and leading to famine. This high tension levels right in the beginning can cause the audience to be hooked right away.
The main characters include: Kulfi, Mr Chawla and Ammaji (Mr. Chawla's mother) who seemed to really worried. Except for Kulfi, Mr. Chawla's wife who was pregnant and did not seem to care about anything because only food was on her mind, that is what creates all the complication in the story. All the food in town was gone but kulfi just want to eat more and more. Kulfi would do anything to get what she wanted to eat.
People of Shahkot were trying to find solution for this disaster. For example a 'frog wedding' was proposed. This shows the belief of Indian people and how Kiran Desai, the Indian aurthor imagines it to be. Clearly we say that culture is one of the themes of this story. Apart from just surprising the audience with unique Indian culture, Kiran Desai also includes some comedy like small arguments between Ammaji and Mr. Chawla as both of them have very opposite view. Mr. Chawla is more practical on the other hand Ammaji is more conservative. Like Ammaji would advise Kulfi to go temple where as Mr. Chawala recommended exercise.
The character of Kulfi seems very unique she is creative and does what she thinks is right, making her an independent women. In chapter 1 the writer has included some feminist and masculine perspectives like Ammaji wants a baby boy this shows a bit more about the Indian beliefs. Where as Kulfi portrays a feminists role who ignores most of the things Ammaji and Mr. Chawla tells her to do (and they cant do anythig about it). Kulfi gets different feelings inside her sometimes she is quiet and sometimes she wants to scream.
When Sampath was born people in Shahkot believed that he was a lucky boy because it rained at the same time he was born and even food packages were dropped by the Swedish planes. People of Shahkot are happy once again.
Opinion
I think that chapter one is like a story, right in the start they have mentioned the conflict and tension is it's peek and tension stays up as there is no food but Kulfi's demand keeps on increasing. tension goes down as it rains, people get food and the protagonist Sampth is born. I like the way Desai hooks the audience right in the start and also the use of vivid vocabulary, making us feel the character.
