Chitra Divakaruni weaves a similar theme into her novel, The Mistress of Spices, in which the narrator, Tilo, uses the mystical energies of spices to help those who enter her shop. ... A similar element pertaining to the significance of a name appears in other works of literature, such as Beowulf, in which the main character battles ferociously on foreign lands to preserve the respectability and fame of his Geat name. ... For example, the poppy seed develops from a lifeless "grain" to "khus khus," a name filled with exotic syllables and noise interpreted as a coming to life. ... Divakaruni...

• Word Count: 1393
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate