Historical Artifacts CWhat makes Mr. Pirzada the most complicated Context? Include some of the factors that make the Context under which the artifact was written, so complex and intricate? Please read the short story I have attached, “Mr. Pirzada Comes to Dine”, and answer the question and discuss the context and it’s intricacies in approx. 500 words. What lasting effect do you feel Carlos Bulosan’s “If You Want to Know What We Are” on you as a person and a resident in the United States? Please read his poem below and answer this question in approx. 500 words.ontext and Cultural Implications

QUESTION

Please read the 2 questions below and their appropriate artifacts, answer the single question for the associated artifact in approx. 500 words. Please be sure to cite any references or outside sources in APA format.

• What makes Mr. Pirzada the most complicated Context? Include some of the factors that make the Context under which the artifact was written, so complex and intricate? Please read the short story I have attached, “Mr. Pirzada Comes to Dine”, and answer the question and discuss the context and it’s intricacies in approx. 500 words.

• What lasting effect do you feel Carlos Bulosan’s “If You Want to Know What We Are” on you as a person and a resident in the United States? Please read his poem below and answer this question in approx. 500 words.

“If You Want to Know What We Are” by Carlos Bulosan

If you want to know what we are who inhabit
forest mountain rivershore, who harness
beast, living steel, martial music (that classless
language of the heart), who celebrate labour,
wisdom of the mind, peace of the blood;

If you want to know what we are who become
animate at the rain’s metallic ring, the stone’s
accumulated strength, who tremble in the wind’s
blossoming (that enervates earth’s potentialities),
who stir just as flowers unfold to the sun;

If you want to know what we are who grow
powerful and deathless in countless counterparts,
each part pregnant with hope, each hope supreme,
each supremacy classless, each classlessness
nourished by unlimited splendor of comradeship;

We are multitudes the world over, millions everywhere;
in violent factories, sordid tenements, crowded cities;
in skies and seas and rivers, in lands everywhere;
our number increase as the wide world revolves
and increases arrogance, hunger disease and death.

We are the men and women reading books, searching
in the pages of history for the lost word, the key
to the mystery of living peace, imperishable joy;
we are factory hands field hands mill hand everywhere,
molding creating building structures, forging ahead,

Reaching for the future, nourished in the heart;
we are doctors scientists chemists discovering,
eliminating disease and hunger and antagonisms;
we are soldiers navy-men citizens guarding
the imperishable will of man to live in grandeur,

We are the living dream of dead men everywhere,
the unquenchable truth that class-memories create
to stagger the infamous world with prophecies
of unlimited happiness_a deathless humanity;
we are the living and the dead men everywhere….

If you want to know what we are, observe
the bloody club smashing heads, the bayonet
penetrating hallowed breasts, giving no mercy; watch the
bullet crashing upon armorless citizens;
look at the tear-gas choking the weakened lung.

If you want to know what we are, see the lynch
trees blossoming, the hysterical mob rioting;
remember the prisoner beaten by detectives to confess
a crime he did not commit because he was honest,
and who stood alone before a rabid jury of ten men,

And who was sentenced to hang by a judge
whose bourgeois arrogance betrayed the office
he claimed his own; name the marked man,
the violator of secrets; observe the banker,
the gangster, the mobsters who kill and go free;

We are the sufferers who suffer for natural love
of man for man, who commemorate the humanities
of every man; we are the toilers who toil
to make the starved earth a place of abundance
who transform abundance into deathless fragrance.

We are the desires of anonymous men everywhere,
who impregnate the wide earth’s lustrous wealth
with a gleaming flourescence; we are the new thoughts
and the new foundations, the new verdure of the mind;
we are the new hope new joy life everywhere.

We are the vision and the star, the quietus of pain;
we are the terminals of inquisition, the hiatuses
of a new crusade; we are the subterranean subways
of suffering; we are the will of dignities;
we are the living testament of a flowering race.

If you want to know what we are —
WE ARE REVOLUTION!

ANSWER

 The Complex Context of “Mr. Pirzada Comes to Dine” and its Intricacies

Jhumpa Lahiri’s short story, “Mr. Pirzada Comes to Dine,” presents a deeply nuanced exploration of identity, displacement, and cultural assimilation. Set during the Bangladesh Liberation War in the early 1970s, the story follows the experiences of Lilia, an Indian-American girl, and her family as they host a Pakistani family friend, Mr. Pirzada, for dinner. Through the character of Mr. Pirzada and the context in which the story is written, Lahiri highlights the complexities and intricacies of the sociopolitical backdrop of the time.

Historical and Political Context

The historical and political context of “Mr. Pirzada Comes to Dine” plays a significant role in shaping the complexity of the story. The setting during the Bangladesh Liberation War is crucial, as it was a period of intense conflict and political turmoil. Lahiri adeptly captures the tension and uncertainty that prevailed during this time (When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine Themes | LitCharts, n.d.). The war serves as a backdrop against which the characters’ lives and relationships unfold, highlighting the complex interplay between personal and political identities.

Cultural Identity and Assimilation

Another factor contributing to the complexity of the context is the exploration of cultural identity and assimilation. Mr. Pirzada, a Pakistani Muslim, finds himself in the United States during a time of political upheaval in his home country. His interactions with Lilia’s family and his longing for his own family and country reflect the challenges of preserving one’s cultural identity in an unfamiliar environment. The story delves into the struggles of assimilation, the loss of roots, and the tension between maintaining one’s heritage and adapting to a new culture.

Themes of Loss and Displacement

The theme of loss and displacement further adds intricacy to the context. Lahiri depicts the experiences of both Mr. Pirzada, who is physically separated from his family due to the war, and Lilia, who grapples with a sense of detachment from her Indian heritage (Diaspora, Alienation, and Loss Theme in When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine | LitCharts, n.d.). The characters’ shared experiences of longing and displacement resonate with readers, highlighting the universal nature of such emotions. Lahiri skillfully portrays the complexity of these emotions, exploring the ways in which individuals navigate their identities in the face of loss and displacement.

Intersections of Politics and Personal Relationships

The complex interplay between politics and personal relationships is a key aspect of the context in “Mr. Pirzada Comes to Dine.” Lahiri examines how geopolitical conflicts can infiltrate and strain interpersonal connections (Food, Culture, and Connection Theme in When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine | LitCharts, n.d.). The story illustrates how the war affects Lilia’s family dynamics and shapes her understanding of the world. It also underscores the idea that individuals are not isolated from the broader sociopolitical landscape but are deeply influenced by it.

Conclusion

In conclusion, “Mr. Pirzada Comes to Dine” by Jhumpa Lahiri explores the intricate context of the Bangladesh Liberation War and its impact on personal identities, cultural assimilation, loss, and displacement. The historical and political backdrop of the story, coupled with the nuanced portrayal of characters like Mr. Pirzada and Lilia, elevates the complexity of the narrative. Lahiri’s storytelling artistry allows readers to reflect on the intricacies of navigating one’s identity in the face of conflict and change. By delving into the rich context of the story, readers gain a deeper understanding of the multifaceted themes explored by the author.

References

Diaspora, Alienation, and Loss Theme in When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine | LitCharts. (n.d.). LitCharts. https://www.litcharts.com/lit/when-mr-pirzada-came-to-dine/themes/diaspora-alienation-and-loss 

Food, Culture, and Connection Theme in When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine | LitCharts. (n.d.). LitCharts. https://www.litcharts.com/lit/when-mr-pirzada-came-to-dine/themes/food-culture-and-connection 

When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine Themes | LitCharts. (n.d.). LitCharts. https://www.litcharts.com/lit/when-mr-pirzada-came-to-dine/themes