The Shell Collector

What is the role of the mwadhini in this story? How is this character different from others who enter the shell collector’s life?

How does the third-person narrative voice reveal the character of the shell collector, directly and indirectly? If the narrative voice represents the perspective of the shell collector, is the shell collector a reliable narrator?

What role does religion play in this story? What is the significance of Nancy being a Buddhist, and what might this reveal about her role in the shell collector’s life?

How does the protagonist being blind impact the details and tension of the story? Think about the use of imagery, figurative language, and the development of themes such as Isolation From Humanity.

What is the significance of naming and identifying nature in this story? What does the ability to identify living things represent for the shell collector? Is it significant that he passes this ability along to a character like Seema?

The shell collector describes himself as being “worn down by the weathers of the sea” (12). As outsiders impact his life, does the shell collector continue to have agency? What decisions does he make, and how do they demonstrate the agency he has or lacks?

Why is this story told mostly through flashback? What does this offer to the narrative and the themes? How might form/structure parallel the themes of the story? What would change if it were written chronologically?

What is the importance of setting? Consider not only the natural environment and the geography of the island but also the particularities of the people that live close to it, as well as the particular timing of the start and end of the story.