Comparing Bharati Mukherjee's The Tenant and Susan Minot's LustThe protagonists of Bharati Mukherjee's "The Tenant" and Susan Minot's "Lust" are extremely promiscuous; both have numerous sexual relationships with little emotional involvement and no commitment. While the two protagonists display many of the same behaviors and often have similar motivations, their reasoning and reactions sometimes differ. “The Tenant” and “Lust” offer two different perspectives on the social expectations that would lead someone to be so irresponsible in their relationships. Maya, the protagonist of "The Tenant", and the unnamed protagonist of "Lust" have many relationships. throughout the stories. These relationships are characterized by a lack of depth, commitment and emotional involvement. Maya “slept with married men, with anonymous men, with men little more than boys, but never with an Indian” (106). “Lust” reviews the various sexual exploits of the main character, who views sex almost as a courtesy; she explains that “if you go out with them, you kind of have to do something” (292). The reasoning behind the two women's promiscuity is rooted in a desire to rebel against the cultures they grew up in and, conversely, Sam... middle of paper... the least aware of the effects on her -even. “The Tenant” and “Lust” are glimpses into the minds of two women who have similar motivations, but react differently to the same behavior. Their background and emotional reactions provide insight into why they choose to live the way they do and why they feel it is appropriate or necessary. For both women, their motivations all relate in one way or another to social expectations, even if one tries to conform to them and the other to defy them. Works Cited Meyer, Michael, ed. Bedford's Introduction to Literature. New York: Bedford/St. that of Martin, 1999.