Nazneen and Chanu are back home. Using the text, imagine their discussion with an other personage about their visit to Mr and Mrs Azard's. Write a dialogue with the different point of view.
The text:
Nazneen and Chanu, a young Bangladeshi couple living in Tower Hamlets, London, are invited to Dr Azard's home.
A girl walked in and stood with her hands on her hips in the middle of the room. She had inherited her mother's sturdy legs, but her skirt was shorter by a good few inches. She spoke in English . Nazneen caught the words pub and money . [...]
Her hair was discoloured by the same rusty substance that streaked her mother's head . She repeated her request. Chanu started to hum. The back of Nazneen's neck grew warm . The doctor began to speak but his wife threw up her hands. She struggled out of her armchair and fetched her handbag. [...]
The girl tucked the money into her blouse pocket . " Salaam Aleikhum ", she said, and went out to the pub.Mrs. Azard switched iff the television . Let's go, thought Nazneen . She tried to signal with her eyes to Chanu , but he smiled vaguely back at her . " This is the tragedy of our lives. To be an immigrant is to live out a tragedy."
The hostess cocked her head. She rubbed her bulbous nose.
" What are you talking about ? "
" The clash of cultures."
" I beg your pardon ? "
" And of generation ", added Chanu.
" What is the tragedy? [...]
When we first came, we lived in a one-room hovel . We dined on rice and dal , rice and dal . For breakfast we had rice and dal . For lunch we drank water to bloat out our stomachs . This is how he finished medical school . ANd now-look !!"
" It's a success story, " said Chanu, exercising his shoulders. " But behind every story of immigrant success there lies a deeper tragedy. "
" Kindly explain this tragedy. "
" I'm talking about the clash between Western values and our own. I'm talking about the struggle to assimilate and the need to preserve one's identity and heritage . I'm talking about children who don't know what their identity is .I'm talking about the feelings of alienation engendered by a society where racism is prevalent.
" Why do you make it so complicated ? " said the doctor's wife. " Assimilation this, alienation that ! Let me tell you a few simple facts. Fact : we live in a Western society . fact : our children will act more and more like Westerners . Fact : that's no bad thing . My daughter is free to come and go . Do I wish I had enjoyed myself like her when I was young ? Yes !! "
Nazneen averted her eyes.
Mrs Azard continued, "Listen, when I'm in Bangladesh I put on a sari and cover my head and all that. But here I go out to work. I work with white girls and I'm just one of them. If I want to come home and eat curry, that's my business."