train journeys: Throughout the novel, train journeys become a recurring motif, symbolizing transitions, disconnection, and the passage of time. Ashoke's near-death experience during a train accident becomes a pivotal moment that shapes the family's life. Trains serve as a metaphor for the physical and emotional journeys characters undertake, reflecting their evolving identities and relationships. The train journeys highlight the themes of displacement, longing, and the changing dynamics within the immigrant family, making them representative of the larger immigrant experience in a rapidly changing world.