the living and working in New Delhi during the political upheaval of the Emergency and is divided between two worlds, one representing her ideals and longing for progression and the other that embodies her upper-crust, conservative culture. From these two characters branch off numerous other tales, which provide a deep and thorough overview of life for all people during this critical historical period. At root of these stories lies the duplicitous role of women in the dynamic, chaotic, new India of the mid 20th century. Structure The structure of Rich Like Us involves a number of chapters that are narrated in turn by a third person omniscient narrator and the character of Sonali, the chapters moving freely back and forth through the more distant past and the recent past of the story’s current action. Sonali tells the reader about the current events of the story, sometimes pausing to read back into the far distant past of her paternal ancestors, while the narration that follows Rose (and briefly Nishi) focuses on the early years of Rose’s marriage to Ram, moving on in chronological progression as though they have only just gone by. The different time periods are kept separate by the barriers of the chapters in the book, but their stories are still told side-by-side through the text’s ability to exist in different planes of time. Major themes Political corruption (absolute power corrupts absolutely, etc.): The Prime Minister declares a state of emergency, allowing her to have supreme and autocratic control. During this time the country is in a state of disarray. The wealthy seek to profit, while commoners are crushed by the impending globalization. The government's power grows to such an extent and begins to force men who are low in the caste system to have vasectomies. Political Ideology & Its Repercussions: Ravi embraces communism in his youth and will only accept the exact following of the doctrine. This near-sighted view of politics shapes his future narrow-minded and misguided involvement in the Indian government. Ravi is swept up by the autocratic ideals of a ruler like Indira Gandhi and quickly integrates himself in the current extremely volatile and dangerous regime. Colonialism: India's long history as a British colony has had numerous side effects. Those growing up within this period feel both Indian and British, This novel details the complicated effects colonization has had on this country and its people. Rose,