Rohinton Mistry, Family Matters

Ira Raja
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Nariman Vakeel, a seventy-nine-year-old Parsi patriarch and former professor of English, suffers from Parkinson's disease, which has severely curtailed his independence and mobility. He is cared for by his two middle-aged step-children, Coomy and her brother Jal, with whom he shares his spacious apartment in Chateau Felicity. Its cheery name notwithstanding, the place is in a state of decay and it is clear from the outset that the relationship between its three inhabitants is fraught with conflict. Things come to a head when Nariman, against Coomy's better judgement, insists on going for his customary evening walk, from which he returns with a fractured ankle that leaves him completely bedridden. Exhausted from her efforts to provide round-the-clock care for Nariman, Coomy plots to turn…

2003 words

Citation: Raja, Ira. "Family Matters". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 23 March 2005 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=9038, accessed 19 March 2024.]

9038 Family Matters 3 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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