known to join him and his family in a place that is completely foreign to her. She almost hopes to not be accepted, she is so fearful of this change in her life. As soon as she sees the sari that her parents have bought for this meeting, however, she understands that her life will change forever and accepts it (19).
Jyoti, while wanting to be a good wife and follow the traditional way, also wants more for herself as can be seen in her desire to continue to learn (Mukherjee 45). She also seems to be more independent and courageous starting out than Sumita in "Clothes" or the many other women around her. For example Jyoti argues with the old astrologer about her fate when told she would become a widow and live in exile (3). She is intelligent and learns as much as she can around her, from learning to boil the milk to kill germs from the doctor, to learning how to haggle from the widows at the market (47). She stands up to her family and chooses to get more education rather than marry a rich widower, telling them she would like to be a doctor (51). Finally, her most physically courageous act as a girl is when she faces down and kills the mad dog that is stalking the women during their morning bathroom visit (the men being to afraid to come help) (56-57).
Both Jyoti and Sumita have relatively short bridehoods or honeymoon periods. Sumita's wedding and honeymoon is only mentioned in passing as she thinks about it on the plane. She is fortunate enough to have married someone who is willing to wait until she is ready to have sex (Divakaruni 22). He would also like her to take as much advantage of the opportunities offered in the United States as possible (23, 25). He infects her with his dreams of his store doing well and making a new life in the United States. She also wants him to succeed and wants to be part of that dream (23). Yet, even as she reaches for this new life she is afraid and reaches back for the old in the fo...