The Waiter’s Wife

When Samad is at his restaurant job, the idea of 15 pence becomes a symbol that represents his struggle as an immigrant in England. Samad previously worked as a food inspector in Bangladesh but could not find a food inspector job in England. As a result, he must work in Ardashir’s restaurant, always remaining grateful for his job and “kiss[ing] the necessary backside” (Paragraph 10). Fifteen pence is the tip amount Samad receives on orders, but he cannot keep it himself and must either give it to Ardashir or put it in the communal “Piss-Pot,” where all the waiters pool their tips.

Samad is constantly haunted by the 15 pence, a symbol both of his limited earning power—Shiva, the star waiter, earns far more in tips and complains about having to split his earnings with his less successful coworkers—and of his lack of agency. He cannot keep it himself, which would further his family’s economic success and his independence. Instead, he must give it to his coworkers and experience “abuse from Shiva and others; condescension from Ardashir” (Paragraph 24). He is constantly reminded of his failings to provide for his family, but he continues “clutching [the] fifteen pence and then releasing it” (Paragraph 24) in the hopes that his luck will turn around.

When Alsana first meets Clara, Clara is “wearing red shorts of a shortness that Alsana had never imagined possible, even in this country” (Paragraph 2). These “hot pants” serve as a motif that emphasizes the recurring theme of Modernity Versus Tradition. Alsana is at first shocked by these pants, but soon Alsana begins “sewing together pieces of black plastic for a shop called Domination in Soho” (Paragraph 6) including a pair of “black studded hot pants” (Paragraph 45). Alsana is creating garments for this new culture, even though there are “nights Alsana would hold up a piece of clothing she had just made—following the plans she was given—and wonder what on earth it was” (Paragraph 6). She does not understand what she is creating, but she follows the plans regardless, emphasizing that she wants to fit into this new country, even though its customs and expectations confuse her. Additionally, by creating hot pants but never wearing them herself, Alsana is trapped between tradition and modernity, never fully embracing either space and feeling discomfort and angst.