The Lowland

Gauri arrives in Rhode Island when she is five months pregnant. She is passive about leaving India and traveling to the United States. As Subhash tries to make conversation, Gauri is overwhelmed by how similar his voice is to Udayan’s: “She’d feared that it would perceive, somehow that the wrong father was waiting to receive them. That it would protest and stop forming” (124). Gauri is not confident in her future with her new family or in her ability to move forward.

Moving into a one-bedroom apartment, Subhash sleeps on the couch to give Gauri her own space. Gauri had always been grateful for alone time and independence: “She was thankful for his independence, and at the same time she was bewildered” (126). She is surprised that Subhash prepares his own meals and leaves her alone during the day with a key while he works at the University.

Subhash and Gauri had a court wedding just like she had with Udayan. His parents had disapproved but had not forbidden it. Gauri knew that this wasn’t a good solution to losing Udayan, but she passively agreed to marry him and travel to the US.