Nectar in a Sieve

      By examining the characters details in Nectar in a Sieve, it is clear that the caste system plays an important part in influencing the lives of people and their decisions that they make. The caste system holds more sway over the older generation much more than the younger.

      One could not break out of its caste. Rukmani, the main character, got born into the caste of a Kahtriyas, since her parents were in that caste system. Then, when it was Rukmani's turn for marriage, at the age of twelve, her father was forced to marry his daughter to someone who is beneath her socially because his social position was not held in as high regard as it used to be.

     Therefore, Rukmani married an older man, Nathan. Nathan is a Vaishya, in this caste, he is a tenant farmer. Nathan took care of Rukmani very well. He was very kind about her age and how she would be scared to live her house, and go live with a man she does not even know. Even though Rukmani did not know Nathan before the marriage,she had to marry Nathan that she did not now know or love.

     When it came to having children, Rukmani had problems with having a child. She went to go visit Kenny, a white doctor, to see if he could help her get pregnant. Kenny had helped her mother when she was coming near her death, so she thought Kenny would be a good choice to go to. Kenny was a good help to Rukmani, she began to have kids. Rukmani had first a girl, Irawaddy, and then when it came to her second and third child, they were boys.

     Rukmani’s two boys were born shortly before the tannery was built. They both went to go work at the tannery because it would help out with their family. But Rukmani did not like this. She is content with the caste system but feels her children should not get jobs at the tannery and ignore their caste and get higher jobs.

     The caste system is very important to the India culture, even though some people do not like it. One example is social roles dictated what women's lives would become leaving women with little control over the destinies. Therefore, Nectar in a Sieve tires to show in the context of families, generations and change in culture.