Rohinton Mistry is known as a post-colonial writer. His writings reflect the Indian diaspora - the 'splitting" of identity. On the one hand, his characters dream of being integrated into, and accepted by, Canadian society. On the other hand, these same characters are torn my an insatiable desire to be true to their native culture, to honour and cherish their own, distinct cultural identity. This is the theme of "Squatter". Rohinton Mistry uses satire and symbolic imagery to attempt to convince his readers damage, he feels, that can come of hybridization. His short stories are very layered, presenting the reader with many images representing the dichotomy of the Indian versus the Canadian (Western) culture. .

             At the beginning of the story, Nariman"s character is depicted as one who has been greatly influenced by the Western culture and material goods (1932 Mercedes-Benz, which "he called the apple of his eye", whistling of an English song, "Clark Gable moustache" - page728). Ironically, he presents his listeners with two very distinct stories: one representing the need to stay strong and resist conformation, and the second, the story of Sarosh and the alienation that (can) come out of integration with the Canadian culture.

             When describing the compound in which the Parsi sub-culture lives, Mistry presents the reader with an image of a drab place, a place with "blocks", which compels me to envision the complex as a sort-of prison, with cell blocks and an "iron gate where the watchman stood" (730). The fact that Mistry integrates words from his native language within the English text further.

             illustrates the need of a post-colonial writer to subtly 'resist" the expected conformation to the language of the 'master" (Shakespeare"s Caliban example) in order to be canonized into the realm of Canadian literature.

             In his first story, Nariman tells of "Savukshaw, the greatest of them all" (728), and his game of Cricket against the English.