Q & A

Food is symbolic of social status, and a measure of Thomas’s life and of those around him. Thomas constantly mentions the food he eats or the hunger he feels.For those who in the novel who have money, the food is decadent and delicious, but for those living in poverty, the food is greasy and cold, if it’s there at all. While there are many examples of this dichotomy, the most obvious occurrence happens when Thomas is living in the slums or chawls versus when he is living with his employers. His employers, all wealthy, continually hold extravagant parties with exuberant amounts of food. Yet, when Thomas is living alone, he constantly complains of hunger, or, if he does find food, it’s often secondhand. While food is a source of luxury and comfort for the rich, for the poor, it’s a means of survival. 

Films play a large role for most of the characters in the novel. Whether it’s Salim and Thomas’s constant film watching, Salim’s desire to become an actor, or Neelima Kumari and Armaan Ali’s role in the novel, movies are symbolic of the tension between reality and fantasy that pervades Q & A.