Character Development-Kaushik

  In the novel Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri the character of Kaushik develops throughout the story of "Once in a Lifetime" and "Year's End."
  In the story of "Once in a Lifetime," Kaushik is described through the eyes of Hema and the story of her relationship with him is told by her own perspective. The way this chapter is written is as if she is telling him this story herself. Anyways, Kaushik is described as an outcast of sorts by Hema. He does not go to school because his parents were just moving back from India and have yet to find a house to call their own. Hema, despite having a major crush on Kaushik, is irked by his presence in her home and in her life. She does not know why he seems so aloof and angered to be back in America when he did not want to leave in the first place. Kaushik for the longest time seems to just be an angry kid. He seems to hate being back in America and back in the house of old family friends, who now are strangers to them, when being in Bombay was carefree and happy. When reading this chapter it is not until the end that the news of his mother's sickness is revealed. Kaushik's family moved back to America "not so much for the treatment as it was to be left alone"(Lahiri 251). As this news was developed the character of Kaushik became clear. He was aloof and angry because his mother was sick. He did not want to be in a household were he had to pretend everything was okay and that his mother's health was not declining. This news clarified the questions of Kaushik's character that were raised during the beginning of the chapter.
  The character of Kaushik is further developed in the chapter "Year's End." Kaushik is telling this story from his perspective and it fills in some of the holes that were left from the previous chapter. He explains his behavior from when he was living with Hema's family. He states that when he was in Bombay his life was carefree and his mother was not sick or at least the family was unaware of the sickness. He did not have to pretend to be happy like he did when he came back to America. So, it is understandable why he behaves like he did when he got back to Hema's house. He explains that he felt trapped behind a lie that everything was okay in his life. Kaushik also revealed to the readers that his mother had passed and that his relationship with his father had dwindled away because the loss of his mother was too much for either to deal with. They had all been in such close proximity together for such a long time due to his mother's sickness, that once the sickness was no longer there there was nothing to keep the family together anymore. In this chapter, Kaushik's character is shown to be one of a son who had dealt with a tragedy in his life and has matured him beyond his actual age. He has dealt with the loss of his mother and the news of his father's new wife and family. In the end, the true character of Kaushik is shown and how he felt during his move back to America from Bombay is revealed.
  In the first chapter that Kaushik is mentioned his character is described as one of which that does not  fit in. Later, it is demonstrated to the readers that during those times of being a "recluse" he was actually dealing with a tragedy that was kept secret by his family. He shows to the readers that he was not a recluse, but however he was just too mature for the age group he was apart of due to his mother's illness.