Arjie’s grandfather on his father’s side, a quiet and steadfast old man who seldom interacts with his grandchildren. During the riots at the end of the book in 1983, he and Ammachi have their house burned down and, on a completely separate occasion, are murdered by a Sinhalese mob that sets their car on fire with them still inside.
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Appachi Character Timeline in Funny Boy
The timeline below shows where the character Appachi appears in Funny Boy. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
1. Pigs Can’t Fly
...children traverse the house’s eerie corridor and then meet their grandparents in the drawing room; Appachi (grandpa) scarcely acknowledges them, but Ammachi (grandma) always gives them an uncomfortably tight hug and...
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2. Radha Aunty
Ammachi informs the family that Mr. Nagendra—an old friend of Appachi’s from Cambridge—wants to marry his son Rajan to Appa’s sister Radha Aunty. In fact, the...
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...Arjie wakes up excited to finally meet her. When his family arrives at Ammachi and Appachi’s house, Arjie is surprised to find Radha Aunty struggling to play the piano, looking completely...
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...Radha Aunty a ride home, although they remain silent the whole way to Ammachi and Appachi’s house.
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...taking lifts from.” Ammachi is distraught to hear that Anil is Sinhalese; she complains to Appachi about Sinhalese boys’ bad morals and laments that “people will talk,” and this might threaten...
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When they return to Ammachi and Appachi’s house, Mala Aunty’s car is out front and the whole family is waiting at the...
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...of the play, Aunty Doris refuses. They agree that Radha will stay in the play—but Appachi will drive her—after she comes back from Jaffna. After the next rehearsal, Doris explains her...
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...Amma does not come get Arjie, and Anil gives him a ride to Ammachi and Appachi’s house, where the whole family is gathered. Diggy reports that “Radha Aunty’s train was attacked”...
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Because there was already violence near Arjie’s grandparents’ house, his immediate family brought Ammachi, Appachi, and Radha Aunty to stay with them for a while. One night, Arjie and Sonali...
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3. See No Evil, Hear No Evil
...they go to see Q.C. Uncle, an elderly civil rights attorney and old friend of Appachi. When she explains what happened and mentions Daryl’s name, Q.C. Uncle recalls that she “wanted...
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6. Riot Journal: An Epilogue
...clothes and one important personal item. Most of the family is okay, but “Ammachi and Appachi’s area is particularly bad” and they might have to hide in neighbors’ houses. The radio...
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At 3 PM, still on July 26, the family learns that Ammachi and Appachi have also had their house burned down—their whole street, full of burned houses, “looks as...
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...29, at 10 AM, Arjie writes that the visitors continue—this time, it is Ammachi and Appachi, who are just talking about losing their own house. Arjie is “irritated and lethargic,” but...
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...that the Tamil Tigers are now in Colombo—a story that the radio denies. Ammachi and Appachi left for Kanthi’s house, but did not arrive, and everyone is worried and praying. There...
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...back shortly after the previous journal entry and reported that a mob burned Ammachi and Appachi’s car, with them inside. Amma broke down crying; Appa insisted on going to the scene...
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...the same entry, Arjie’s narration jumps to the day before, three days after Ammachi and Appachi were killed, and the day of their funeral. Radha Aunty came from America, and the...
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