Indian Food (Visual Imagery)
In the opening pages of the novel, Karim describes his father's daily ritual to the reader. He explains that after returning home, Haroon would hand Mum a "packet of kebabs and chapatis so greasy their paper wrapper had disintegrated." The image of the Indian food waiting to be reheated for dinner is an example of visual imagery, and it symbolically signifies the pieces of home that Haroon holds onto. In addition, the wrapper's disintegration symbolizes that the things holding together these representatives of home are falling apart. This, in turn, foreshadows Haroon's affair and the subsequent "disintegration" of Karim's family as he has known it.
Haroon's Clothing (Visual Imagery)
When Karim accompanies his father to a session he is hosting at Eva's house, Haroon complains that he is cold. Karim comments that it's the fault of the clothing he has chosen that evening, a silk shirt that falls "over [Haroon's] chest and [flies] out at his stomach for a couple of miles before dropping down to his knees." In describing Haroon's clothing with such vivid visual imagery, Karim likens it to a costume. In this vein, Haroon's job as a yoga and lifestyle guru for his wealthy white clients can be taken as some kind of performance; one in which he is required to put on specific garments and play a part.
Anwar's Hunger Strike (Olfactory Imagery)
When Karim visits Jamila's home that she shares with her parents Anwar and Jeeta, he is overtaken by curious smells. As he ascends the stairs, he explains that he smells "something rotten. It was feet and arseholes and farts swirling together, a mingling of winds which hurried straight for my broad nostrils." This vivid olfactory imagery is quite repulsive, and it effectively communicates the state of Jamila's family home. Karim soon discovers the source of the smell—it's Anwar, engaging in a hunger strike in order to assert his decision for Jamila's arranged marriage. Anwar's body is dying and decaying, symbolizing his steadfast commitment to his traditional values.
Eva's Bathroom Products (Tactile Imagery)
Before Eva and Haroon relocate to London, they move into Eva's suburban home together. Karim decides to join them, and on his first night sleeping there, he spends a thoughtful moment in Eva's bathroom. While inside the bathroom, he is overwhelmed by the variety of beauty products he encounters. He describes "creamy soaps for soft skin, sensitive skin, and normal skin," as well as "soaps in exotic wrappings and pretty boxes [...] sweet-peas in a jam jar [...] rose petals in wooden saucers." Although Karim comments that he is slightly "repulsed" by the self-attention, he is also intrigued and soothed by "the world of sensuality." In this respect, we can see what Eva represents to Karim. She opens doors to more luxurious ways of living, and although he is somewhat hesitant, Karim ultimately chooses to let this world carry him away.
