The title The Home and the World is a fitting one for this novel, because it represents the multiple internal and external conflicts of Bimala, who is repeatedly torn between the familiarity of home and the larger issues of the world beyond it.

Throughout this novel, Bimala is forced to choose between various "homes" and "worlds." On a literal level, leaves her actual home behind the purdah for the world beyond it. Early on, her husband, Nikhil, takes her reluctantly beyond the familiarity of home and into this new world. This is Bimala's first true taste of the world.

On another level, Bimala finds herself pulled between figurative homes and worlds. In a sense, Nikhil and his practical approach to things represent the familiarity of home. At the same time, Bimala's feelings for Sandip and his idealistic outlook represent a different sort of world. Similar to her leaving her first home with its women-focused characteristics, Bimala finds herself drawn further and further away from her home with Nikhil.

It is Sandip that pulls Bimala even further beyond the confines of a home and into an even larger world. In this new world, Bimala is exposed to the issues concerning her country at a historical turning point. However, the draw of her life with Nikhil remains even though she makes choices that take her away from it. Once again, Bimala finds herself choosing between the home and the world.