Moth Smoke

Mumtaz Kashmiri tells the story of her relationships with Daru and Ozi. First, she recalls meeting Ozi at a Halloween party in New York during college. While she is not interested in dating a Pakistani man—she believes they are likely too conservative for her—she is taken by Ozi’s affection: “And he was, is, the most romantic man I’ve ever met” (148). They marry quickly, and her family and friends believe she is extraordinarily lucky. Not only is Ozi handsome and devoted, but he is also wealthy.

Mumtaz realizes early on that she should not have married Ozi—or anyone, for that matter. She certainly knows that she should not have had a child. When she discovers she is pregnant, her initial instinct is to have an abortion, but Ozi’s enthusiasm finally erodes her resolve. Her pregnancy is filled with foreboding and nightmares, and her experience of mothering is difficult at best. She feels neglected by Ozi, badgered into working as a freelance writer from home, and bored by parenting. She starts drinking Scotch “during the day” (153) and hides her feelings from friends and family alike.

She starts to miss Lahore, and the family leaves New York. Still, Mumtaz does not find satisfaction, though having a nanny to care for Muazzam is a relief.