Wealth as Social Status

Class differences within Bangladeshi society are portrayed as being detrimental to the individual pursuit of happiness for many characters. Although Rukhsana lives in Seattle, she does not notice much poverty while living there (perhaps because Rukhsana is sheltered, perhaps because of an authorial oversight). However, when Rukhsana goes to Bangladesh she is struck by the contrasting poverty and wealth that plagues the city of Dhaka. When she goes to the seven-story mall in the middle of town, which is next to a series of slums in which poor children run around playing with a deflated ball, she asks her cousin how she can stomach shopping for extravagant clothing while those kids exist right across the street. Her cousin responds: “The thing is, Rukhsana, you are upset now because this is a shock to you since you’re not surrounded by it every day...