The Buddha in the Attic

Do you consider the name “picture brides” an apt description of the women in Otsuka’s narrative? How does the novel treat the tension between appearance and reality?

How does Otsuka balance the voice of the collective and that of the individual in her narrative, and to what effect? You should close-read at least three different excerpts in your answer.

What role does the boat journey play in the women’s lives and the narrative as a whole?