The Bats

This story sets in Calcutta. All characters are nameless. In this short story, the husband
frequently comes home drunk and bits his wife, so that she has marks and scars on her face as
described by her daughter.
A couple of days later mother had another mark on her face, even bigger and
reddish-blue. It was on the side of her forehead and made her face look lopsided. In this
story both mother and daughter are the victims of man. One day the wife finally dares to
leave the house of her husband and went her old uncles house. But she could not stay there
long time and decided to go back to her husband. Actually it was she who first send letter to
her husband and then he promised to not to hurt her again. But it was many times happened.
It is true that she doesnt want to go back but she decided it because as she
says,.................couldnt stand it, the stares and whispers of the women, down in the market
place
Divakaruni want to show social norms of wifely duty excpect her to live with her
husband for better or worse and her traditional ties are so strong that she cannot break from
the myth or pati-parmeshwar. The pressure of it is too much for the lady to ignore. And as
we considering the things are as same as that before. They again become victim of mans
wildness.