How Shape of Marriage Depends on Where Home

¶ … Shape of Marriage Depends on Where "Home" Is

In the story, the definition and shape of marriage was shown to depend on the sense of what and where "home" is by the characters of Mala and her husband. Both of the characters live in Calcutta, India. Despite of the fact that their marriage was arranged, it was a responsibility in their culture to live as husband and wife. For the couple, marriage is to be shaped by this responsibility and by their togetherness. Thus, when the husband went to America for a job, Mala followed after some time to live with her husband. America was not their home but the sense of being a "home" was there in America, as it was in Calcutta, for the couple. Even though they were in another land, America, their second "home," helped them to establish their marriage as well as their family.

From the couple's story, it can be learned that the success of a marriage does not only depend on how marriage took place, whether it was out of your own choice of partner, or whether it was a pre-arranged marriage as we have seen in Mala and her husband. Success in marriage means going through any obstacles smoothly. This depends on the two persons' responsibility to make a marriage work, and not just on 'love' as many may have perceived.