The Hero's Walk

Putti sits on the verandah and watches her brother leave. She also looks over at their neighbors, the Munnuswamys, particularly Gopala. When Gopala was younger, he used to sell milk from door-to-door; it’s how the family business began, but they have since expanded. The father is even a member of the Legislative Assembly, and even though the Munnuswamys no longer need to sell milk, Gopala still delivers milk directly to the long-standing customers, like the Raos. Putti finds Gopala very attractive.

Putti goes back indoors, where her mother immediately accosts her. Ammayya is controlling of her daughter and very critical. Ammayya also likes to steal newspapers from the neighbors to sell later on. It fills her with a sense of pride to make money off of other people. Putti has to share a bed with her mother. Putti longs to be married, but her mother has disapproved of every possible suitor. Putti also wishes to go and work, but her mother finds that unbecoming of a lady: “Ammayya cocooned herself in the past, in traditions and rituals, and the prospect of change terrified her” (88).

Ammayya determines to keep Putti by her side until she dies. She feels Putti is hiding something from her, and she plans on finding out what that is.