I was extremely interested in the discussion held on Monday regarding the ways in which immigrants assimilate to the American culture. In terms of Twinkle, I find that she is heavily Americanized and this is represented not only by the fact that she is indifferent towards very traditionalist Indian views, but also in the ways in which she presents herself. I also believe that her parents may have also had an impact on her personality because they were in fact also living in the US. Since the reader does not gain a clear understanding of her parent’s personalities it can be inferred that they too were not strict traditionalists. If they did not place heavy emphasis on maintaining her Indian identity she may not have felt as though she had a responsibility to do so. This may account for Twinkle’s inability to cook traditional Indian food or need to be modest and quiet. Twinkle may feel as though she must gradually let go of her Indian culture in order to truly assimilate to American culture.

Her personality is extremely outgoing and she enjoys the company of others. I believe that the example that most epitomizes her personality is when Sanjeev recalls the night they went into the city. On their night out Twinkle decides to wear showy high heels and begs him to dance with her in the middle of a restaurant. These loud, outgoing events irritate Sanjeev because he is so subdued. He refuses to deny his Indian identity which may in fact be the cause of his annoyance with Twinkle. However I also believe that Twinkle’s outgoing personality may be escalated not only to assimilate to the culture but also in order to severely agitate her husband.