Gender And Culture In Devvadi By Rishi Reddi, By Rishi Reddi

In a world where labels determine much of a person’s identity, gender and culture have a strong influence on a person’s life. Uma tries to please her parents’ Hindu expectations of her, and fitting into American society. In the short story “Devadasi”, by Rishi Reddi, gender and culture based societal standards impact the protagonist Uma and how she sees her surroundings. These standards shape both Uma’s relationships with those around her and how she sees her place in the world. Today, too many people let every piece of their lives be dictated by gender and culture based expectations. Gender and culture change the way Uma sees her relationships with others, often distancing her from others through feelings of isolation. To begin with, Uma’s white boyfriend, Karl, doesn’t want her to go on her trip to India. When Uma tells him she does not want to take the trip, he advises her, “Just tell them you’re not going” (160). Uma, as a person of Indian descent, is expected to have a strong sense of familial loyalty and willingness to obey her parents, which is only heightened by her gender. As a white boy, Karl is subject to different cultural familial standards which allow him to rebel against his parents more often with fewer consequences. Karl does not understand this distinction, making him ignorant of Uma’s circumstances, which strains their relationship. Moreover, when Uma’s grandmother hosts a dinner party, the men and women naturally stratify into two groups, with the men discussing politics and the women chatting about jewelry and saris. Uma

Her relationships become strained but as she learns more about herself, they will slowly grow back together as she redefines these values on her own. Today, too many people allow their lives be dictated by cultural identity, and shut themselves off from potential new connections because of