Kali

Kali is the male protagonist of One Part Woman, and husband of Ponna. Much of the narrative follows Kali's consciousness, his psychic struggles, marital difficulties, and attempts to reconcile the two. As a young man, the town knew Kali to be notoriously lazy, often idle, and frequently running off without word of his departure. Prior to his marriage with Ponna, Kali spent most of his time in town with a band of similarly restless young men. Though he remains close with Ponna's brother, Muthu, in the narrative present of the novel, Kali abandons the majority of his male friends after marrying his wife.

Though much of Kali's narrative quandaries focus on his inability to conceive a child with Ponna, even after 12 years of marriage, Kali often retreats into reminiscences of the past. Finding most peace in the space of his well-kept barnyard, Kali's mind drifts into memories of...