Maya immigrated to the United States from India when she was 19 years old. She left all her family and friends behind her to start a new life in a new world. To fit into the new culture, Maya became an American citizen, married an American man, and made all American friends. Even after her divorce, Maya slept with numerous men but never slept with an India man. Maya always thought that she never wanted to marry an Indian man but finally sets a date to meet an Indian co worker Rab Chatterji, who is also from the same cultural background as her in India. When she meets Chatterji, she comes to know that he is married. She visits Chatterji’s home and meet’s his wife. At the Chatterji’s home Maya is touched and at the same time slightly envious. The Chatterji’s seem to be living a happy while a diverse life style enjoying both cultures. Her insecurity accompanies her to their residence as well, as she hopes that she is not asked anything about her past personal life.
Maya has slept with many men of different ages, married, unmarried and even her students. She has never slept with an Indian man. Maya proclaims that she married an American man because all Indian men are wife beaters. Maya never misses an opportunity to seduce men, not because she’s genuinely interested in them, but for personal satisfaction. When Chatterji first approaches Maya, she goes out with him even though she is slightly reluctant. After Chatterji’s uncalled behaviour in his car when he starts to masturbate, Maya all of a sudden longs to sleep with an Indian man. She goes to the point where she checks out ads in an Indian newspaper. She comes across Ashok Mehta, someone who intrigues her and even goes to meet him. When she meets him, she finds him so attractive that all of a sudden she feels ugly and unworthy herself thinking that “Her adult life no longer seems miraculously rebellious, it is grim, it is perverse”. (The Tenant, Mukherjee) Maya is so mesmerized by Ashok Mehta that she feels so shameful about her past therefore she does not reveal much about herself to him, but at the same time she is so self conscious that she feels that he can see it right through her. Maya was so lonely after her husband had left her years ago and always tried to fill the loneliness by keeping sexual relationships with different men which also made her feel wanted. After meeting Ashok Mehta at some point, Maya realizes that she does want to be in serious long term relationship and is seeking love.
In conclusion, Maya’s character changes throughout the story because Maya starts to visualize herself from other’s perception rather than her own. Maya also comes to realize that she wants to live a diverse life style with her Indian and western culture even though she always tried to stay away from her Indian culture. Maya also realizes that she wants to meet one man who she can spend her life with rather than engaging in meaningless physical relationships with different men.
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