All of Mukherjee's fiction focuses on the theme of immigrant identity and the immigrant experience in America. Read another one of her short stories. In what ways does it address themes similar to those of "The Middleman" in terms of the immigrant experience? In what ways does it address different themes?

Mukherjee was born in India in 1940, less than a decade before India achieved national independence and self-rule. Learn more about the history of India before and after independence. What differences do you think Mukherjee saw during her childhood?

Mukherjee's fiction focuses on immigrants to America from a variety of Asian and Middle Eastern regions. Learn more about past and current immigration patterns to the U.S. of one particular nationality of immigrant groups (such as Indian, Vietnamese, etc.). What is the history of immigration patterns and the immigrant experience of people...