Kristina Arkhipova

English 414
Richard Burke
December 6, 2016

Homeless Bird

In this novel, Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan, it tells a story of a young Indian girl
named Koly. The events in Kolys life were shaped based on the cultural standards of a female
living in India. The story is told from Kolys perspective and takes the reader through the many
struggles of her young adolescent life. I do believe that Homeless Bird does portray a negative
view of life in India. The idea of the impoverished conditions in India can be found throughout
the story.
As the story opens, Koly is introduced to the idea of her upcoming marriage. She
expresses that although she is very sad to leave, she knows that her family will be a little better
off financially. Her mother often doesnt eat, so the children can have rice for the day. The
homes in India were mud and brick with little or no roofs. Kolys new family, Mehtas, were also
very poor, and because they needed money to take Hari to the Ganges River, lied to Kolys
parents in order to get the dowry money. Throughout the story, money and food were always an
issue for Koly. When she traveled to Delhi, Koly described hungry, homeless people in the
streets. She herself was forced to sleep in doorways and on the streets and experiences the pain
of being hungry. If not for the generosity of the local monks, many would die of starvation.
These ideas support the idea India suffers from great poverty. From the readers perspective,

India could easily be perceived as a very depressing country with little or no hope for the people
living there.
Although Hari is the only one in the story that suffered from any type of disease, it is
clear the Indian culture was not aware of on the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis. The
setting of the story was in the mid 1900s, while it is likely that this disease was not known
worldwide, the mode of treatment in the book was unconventional. Haris symptoms indicated
that his illness was related to his lungs. Instead of allowing him to rest, which is key to healing,
his parents, upon the advice of the doctor takes him to the Ganges River where he is placed in the
chilly water without a shirt to bathe. Immediately Haris cough becomes worse, and he dies
shortly thereafter. The methods of treatment were primitive. Could Hari have lived if given
proper treatment or allowed time to rest? Its hard to say, if he had lived Kolys story would have
been very different. As a result, India once again is viewed negatively by the reader. The one
person who could have provided Koly with an ounce of happiness was taken from her.
As a female reader, I immediately felt offended early in the first chapter. The poverty
aspect was understandable, but as I read about the details of an arranged marriage I felt
frightened for Koly. It is unimaginable that at the age of 13, I would have to marry a perfect
stranger. Even worse, would be the fact that my parents would have to provide a monetary
payment. This demonstrates the lack of control an Indian woman has in her own life. It was
apparent that when Kolys parents arrive to Mehtas familys home, they are very suspicious and
unsure about the marriage. However, they will not break the marriage contract. This would be
viewed as an honorable and against Indian custom. Another example of sexism happens during
the marriage party, the men eat first, followed by the women and finally the children. Even as the
bride, Kolys role as a woman in her culture was clear. Throughout the book, the Indian culture

is demonstrated in the women characters. Their roles are very defined and limited: women are
not allowed to read, they are responsible for the household chores and children, they are not
allowed to own land, they are now allowed to remarry after the death of their husband. One of
the most heart wrenching parts of the book was when Koly couldnt return to her parents home
following Haris death. The Indian culture believes this brings bad luck to the family. She was
viewed by Haris mother with disregard, initially she forces Koly to work as a servant in her
home, and she eventually abandons her in Delhi after finally convincing Koly to give her the
silver earrings, Kolys most precious possession. The saddest part was that Koly had no selfrespect for herself and felt she deserved nothing more. The oppression of women in India is
generational. Gender bias dates to 200 BC. From birth, women are viewed as unequals, born to
serve the males in the society.
Homeless Bird was a captivating story of how a young girl endured the challenges of
being a woman in India. Her story is probably no different than many other women of the time.
As I read, I kept waiting for her to overcome the adversities that plagued her life. In the end,
Koly manages to overcome some of the hardships of a woman living in India. She finds
happiness in Raji and his promise of a new life. The part I like the best is when he builds the
room for Koly to do what she loves best, embroidering.
Instructionally, I would not choose to use this novel in my classroom. Even though it
does provide insight into the Indian culture, I feel its portrayal of women sends a negative
message that I choose not to share with my class.