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Chapter 7
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
Jane comes to Pema Gatshel for her clinic at the hospital, and she has gifts of food for Zeppa from Jangchuk and Pema. Maya, a teacher from Southern Bhutan, is Zeppa’s partner in the training. They learn about local medical beliefs and how to incorporate Western medicine. Afterwards, Zeppa often ends up providing makeshift medical treatment to students out of her apartment. She starts to be exhausted by all the people coming over, which include not just sick students but also fellow teachers dropping by for tea.
When Zeppa learns about medical treatment, she goes from being an outsider in the community to suddenly having almost too much social interaction with people who want her time. She learns how by playing a useful role within the community, she can better become a part of it socially as well. The teachers dropping by for tea shows how social standards are different in Bhutan, with less focus on privacy and formality.
Themes
Zeppa realizes that people in Bhutan live in multi-generational families and are rarely alone. She isn’t that way, however, and decides to go on daily walks for some time alone. But Sangay Chhoden, a student and the daughter of the shopkeeper, sees her and joins her. Soon more students join her regular walks. The students try to teach her the names of local plants. The only one she remembers is that marijuana is called “pakpa nam,” meaning “pig’s food” because they feed it to pigs. Zeppa is slowly learning to form longer sentences.
When Zeppa tries to get privacy by going on walks by herself, she accidentally creates a new tradition with her students. Rather than doubling down on trying to get her privacy, however, Zeppa embraces the new tradition, showing how she is able to adapt and to try to become a part of the community in the village rather than keeping to herself.
Themes
