Summary & Study Guide The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai

The Inheritance of Loss is a book about the rigid class systems that exist in India and abroad amongst Indians, and the struggles that the people face within these classes after colonialism. The book takes place in a town called Kalimpong, which is near Darjeeling in the north-westernmost point in India. The story begins in the high northeastern Himalayas in Kalimpong. Sai, a seventeen year old, lives with a judge, his dog and his cook. It is a turbulent time, filled with dissatisfaction among the population of Indian-Nepalese, who want to separate and have their own country apart from India. There is an insurgency to draw new borders that will create peace in theory, yet violence is the tool to create this peace.They are robbed by members of the Gorkhaland National Liberation Front, who take their food, liquor and guns. This introduces the political struggle that the region is facing, as well as the breakdown of the social fabric.
This study guide includes the following sections: Plot Summary, Chapter Summaries & Analysis, Characters, Objects/Places, Themes, Style, Quotes, and Topics for Discussion.