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Chapter 6
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Beyond the Sky and the Earth, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Culture Shock and Home
Buddhism and Everyday Life
Ethnic Nationalism and the Outsider Perspective
Women’s Role in Society
Summary
Analysis
Back in Pema Gatshel, Zeppa wakes one morning and finds Karma Dorji waiting at her doorstep with fellow student Norbu. They offer a gift of vegetables and an egg from their families. Zeppa uses the egg to make breakfast, then heads to school. There is an assembly in the morning, then afterwards, the headmaster tells her she has been assigned to a clinic to learn about first aid at the local hospital. The headmaster is young but good with the students—Zeppa can tell that he sometimes clashes with the Indian teachers, who often admit that they entered the program because they struggled to find jobs in India. They sometimes complain about meetings being held in Dzongkha, the national language, which none of them can understand.
The gift of vegetables show how in spite of the poor conditions in Pema Gatshel, people are generous and community oriented, even toward new members like Zeppa. Meanwhile, with the Indian teachers at Pema Gatshel, Zeppa sees what it’s like when people refuse to try to adapt to a new culture, in this case by seemingly not trying to learn Dzongkha. Despite her hesitation about her new life in Bhutan, Zeppa wants to be accepted, and so she approaches Bhutan’s customs and culture with an open mind.
Themes
In class, Zeppa struggles with students constantly wanting to leave to go home or use the bathroom, which is made even more difficult by the language barrier. One day, Mr. Iyya, the teacher in charge of all the English extra-curriculars, comes by to ask to borrow Zeppa’s cane. Zeppa is horrified to learn that he uses it to hit students and closes the door on him.
Learning about corporal punishments in schools is one of the biggest instances of culture shock for Zeppa. It forces her to question whether to stick to her old values or whether to try to adapt to a new culture, even when it contradicts her deeply held beliefs that it’s wrong to hit students.
Themes
One day, Karma Dorji and Norbu come back and ask to see Zeppa’s “snaps.” She realizes they mean photos, like “snapshots.” She shows them pictures of her family, and they ask if her brother is a lama because he has long hair. The children are amazed to learn that the city of Toronto has more people than all of Bhutan. Looking at a music book, Karma Dorji asks if Johan Sebastian Bach is Zeppa’s mother.
Zeppa learns that as much as Bhutan is unfamiliar to her, her life in Canada also seems strange to her Bhutanese students. Zeppa sees how humorous these misunderstandings can be when one of her students asks if Bach (a 17th-century composer who wore a long wig) is Zeppa’s mother.
Themes
Zeppa tries to forbid Karma Dorji and Norbu from using her dangerous kerosene stove, but Karma Dorji has the same one at home and uses it easily. Karma Dorji has heard that Zeppa only ever buys biscuits from the local store, so he shows her how to cook rice and how to use a pressure cooker. The children proceed to make a meal, and Zeppa is amazed to learn that Karma Dorji is only eight years old.
This passage shows how Zeppa initially let her fear of the stove stop her from engaging with Bhutanese culture by learning about traditional foods. It’s extremely impactful when young Karma Dorji easily uses the stove and shows her how to use it herself. This highlights for Zeppa that her fear has been both unfounded and has held her back.
Themes
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