Markandaya writes characters who dream of rising above their current socioeconomic status, owning land, and not being beholden to another person’s whims—things that become increasingly impossible as life under the British Raj becomes more restrictive. Rukmani and Nathan plan carefully and work hard to achieve their goals, yet there are factors they cannot control that continually push them backward. When the rain comes (or fails to come), the characters must act as they see fit to survive in an ever-changing world, and even when they do everything right, they risk eviction by a dispassionate landlord. Each villager reacts to their situations differently, yet all act with hope for survival. Two dynamics in the novel—between Rukmani and Kunthi and between Rukmani and Kenny—demonstrate the contrasting effects of poverty on individuals and how those effects influence their opportunities and choices.

One effect of poverty is desperation. Kunthi is willing to go to any lengths necessary to survive another day. This creates an antagonistic relationship between her and Rukmani, whose despair never extends to taking from others in communal times of need. While Rukmani debates how to respond to Kunthi’s threats, Kunthi waits “with the patience of one who knows what power she wields, patient, like a vulture” (82).