Feudalism

Feudalism is a system of economics and/or government in which power and money are controlled by traditional family endowment and practice. Feudalism is often associated with land ownership. A particular family owns a particular section of land and gains income and influence as a result. In many ways the owner runs the lives of those who work that land. Feudalism is primarily associated with the European Middle Ages. In the minds of many observers and experts, it still the dominant social, political, and economic system in Pakistan, hence the setting of the stories within the context of the Harouni family.

Drugs

In several of the collection's stories, drug use is a primary means by which emotional and cultural boundaries come down. Inhibitions are relaxed, restrictions on behavior fall apart, and a certain reckless freedom is embraced. In most cases in the collection, drug use leads...