Chapter 5 is about the launching of Biju's boat and the community's reaction to this event. Chapter 5 begins with Anita Desai's description of the setting, where she uses many adjectives to show the colour and excitement of the villages, waiting to watch the magnificent display of the launching of Biju's boat. This sets the ton, mood, atmosphere of the Chapter. Anita Desai does many things to express how the community is. She uses a lot of …showed first 75 words of 364 total…

…showed last 75 words of 364 total…husband boat. The launching of Biju's boat was almost like a festival where there was everybody seeing the event. And the use of saris and long banners to symbolize the importance of the event. The sweets being traded also showed how significant the event was "The coconut cracked and spattered to shouts and cheers from all." This shows that the breaking of the coconut is a tradition and it's a way to celebrate an event.