The Calcutta Chromosome

Towards the end of the narrative, Urmila tells Murugan the story of what happened to Phulboni at Renupur station when he was a young man. What is the significance of this retelling?  

What role does colonialism/post colonialism play in the novel? Cite three examples.

Modernism tended to stress grand narratives in its literary compositions. Ghosh fragments time and narrates the story through a series of micro-stories and remembrances. Does Ghosh tell his story in a strictly postmodernist way, or is this novel a modernist-postmodernist hybrid?

Ghosh describes the neighborhood and apartment where Antar lives as being desolate and lonely. Antar sits working at his computer all day, dreaming of those small cherished moments after work, when he visits the donut shop for tea with owner and movies with the regulars. What is Ghosh trying to say about the New York of the future? 

At the end, Antar is hearing countless voices speaking to him, telling him that they are all here for him, that he is not alone. Where do these voices come from, and who do they belong to? 

At one point in the story, Murugan tells Urmila that the one who discovers the story is the one who is discovered. Explain what he means and how this relates to the larger narrative. 

Throughout the narrative, Murugan sketches out a number of scenarios that he claims support his version of events. Are these stories merely speculation, or is there validity to his argument? Explain your answer with examples.

In the novel, Urmila is depicted as a progressive young woman. How does her family see her, and what cultural values are reflected in her parents’ attitude toward her role in both her family and in society at-large?