Even though Mr and Mrs Das were Indian, they had spent a large portion of their life in America and so had forgotten many of their cultural and spiritual values. When Mr Kapasi had introduced himself he had pressed his palms together which was the way in which the Indians greeted each other and was called “namstay” in Hindi. Mr Das instead of greeting him in the same way Mr Das squeezed hands like an American. In the say way during that time in India it was a cultural value that the husband did not use the first names of their wives when they talked to their children and so Mr Kapasi was shocked and he found it strange when Mr Das spoke to his daughter using his wife’s first name.

     Boori Maa is another story which portrays how the people had forgotten their cultural and spiritual values. This is seen in the way the people of the building treated Boori Maa. She lived in extremely bad conditions and even though the people promised that they would help her, help usually did not come from them.  There was a strong cultural value in India to respect the elders and even though the people did not misbehave with Boori Maa there came a time when they suspected her and accused of being involved in a burglary that took place in the building. She had worked for them for years, safeguarding their belongings but in the end they blamed her for everything as one of them said “ Boori Maa’s mouth is full of ashes.” They did not respect her even though it was a strong cultural value to respect people who were older. It also shows how Boori Maa’s life deteriorated as in the story she repeatedly talks about the time she used to be before she crossed the border. She talked about the comforts she had and how her bathwater was scented with attar and rose petals. Even the it is said that she often contradicted her own statements; it showed how her life had taken a sudden turn and how deterioration had set in, in her life.

     Mrs Sen is another story about an Indian woman who even after living in America for years had been unable to adjust herself to the American lifestyle. She missed the times she spent in India and is cultural and spiritual values.  She pointed out how in Indian culture, during the time of marriage ceremonies all the women in the neighborhood were invited with their blades to sit in circles and have a good time slicing vegetables and gossiping. This did not take place in America. She was used to the noisy lifestyle of India that it often became difficult for her to sleep at night and in the silence. The story also shows that during the time she lived in India it was a culture or tradition that when someone screamed everyone from the neighborhood came to help them, but this was not something that could take place in America and if she screamed no one would have come to help her. She was accustomed to the lifestyle in India and during her time in India the women did not drive. This was a cultural value, but in America she was forced to learn how to drive and this is why, at times she was hesitant in learning how to drive