Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

What is the caste system? What is the connection between the caste system and socioeconomic status in India? How was the caste system reinforced by colonialism? What is an “untouchable,” and how might one become untouchable?

Teaching Suggestion: Thomas, the protagonist of the novel, is abandoned as a child and lives among the poorest in India. These sources provide contextual information about the social class system in India and the hardships of the lower caste that will help students better understand the characters and setting of the story.

• This article outlines the caste system in India, its origins, and how it influences social class.
• This 4-minute video relays one woman’s experience as an “untouchable,” the lowest caste in India. 

Short Activity

Use scholarly sources to investigate and explore topics, conflicts, and setting concerns in the novel. Use the questions below to guide your research, and take notes on what you discover. Consider the ways in which the information connects to plot events and character arcs as you read.