Homeless Bird

Homeless Bird’s protagonist and narrator is Koly, whose story begins when she’s 13 years old and must enter into an arranged marriage. Throughout the novel, she strives to balance opposing forces: society’s expectations shaped by cultural traditions and entrenched gender norms, and her desire for autonomy and self-actualization. Through this central conflict, the novel explores and highlights The Impacts of Cultural Traditions on Women’s Rights and Identities as a central theme. The titular metaphor of the homeless bird characterizes Koly: Her mother-in-law (her sass) treats her like a burden, making her feel like she doesn’t belong, so she identifies with the homeless bird of Rabindranath Tagore’s poem, forever seeking something. The homeless bird metaphor reveals Koly’s motivation; to find a “home,” a place where she belongs and where she’s loved, appreciated, and valued for her character, not her assets. When her sass abandons her, Koly continues to search for the life—and the home—she wants in Vrindavan. Another of the novel’s primary themes, Defining “Home” in Terms of Love and Belonging, emphasizes her distaste for oppressive customs like arranged marriage. Eventually, Koly finds a happy future in which she can be her true self.