Rohinton Mistry's

A fine balance

 

biographical information

 

character information

 

plot summary

 

themes

 

style

 

objects and place

Objects/Places

Dina's flat

Originally Rustom's family flat but inherited by Dina after his death, this is where

Dina and Maneck live, and where Ishvar and Om eventually move in, and where the

sewing business is run from.

 

Vishram Vegetarian Restaurant

This is the restaurant where Ishvar and Om regularly have their tea, which becomes

Shankar's new hangout.

 

Nusswan's house

The house that Dina grew up in and returns to after she is kicked out of her apartment.

 

The hut in the slums

Ishvar and Om's home before it was flattened by the government.

 

The doorway of the chemist shop

Where Ishvar and Om slept while they were homeless.

 

Mumtaz Tailoring

The shop where Ishvar, Om and his father, Narayan, were all apprentice tailors, and

where Ishvar and Narayan practically grew up.

 

The Village

Ishvar and Om's hometown.

 

The Mountains

This is the area where Maneck and his family lived. It is also the location of the

General Store.

 

The General Store

The store that Maneck's family owned and ran.

 

The Emergency

The Emergency is a fabricated political situation at the time of the story.

 

The quilt

The quilt Dina is putting together from pieces of cloth that she is collecting. It

becomes symbolic of the times that she spent with the tailors and Maneck and

eventually becomes the cushion on Ishvar's platform.

 

The Singers

This is the brand of sewing machines that the tailors use.

 

Au Revior

The export company that Dina works foris named Au Revior.