Interpreter Of Maladies By Jhumpa Lahiri
Interpreter of Maladies
Throughout the Interpreter of Maladies, Jhumpa Lahiri categorizes all nine books in a questionable yet interesting way. All of her stories involve a relationship between friends, family, and couples. Lahiri portrays the ideas of honesty, compassion, and respect by introducing the Indian culture. Lahiri’s technique and style of all nine books represent the important values of relationships. Lahiri’s selection of ordering the stories should be categorize on how different issues can affect the relationships the characters have on each other.
Most of the stories in the Interpreter of Maladies happen in places where characters find it hard to adapt to their environment, which affects his or her relationship. Starting out with the story “Mrs. Sen”, Mrs. Sen is having trouble adapting to the American culture. The American culture distracts Mrs. Sen from building new relationships with other characters in the story. Mrs. Sen’s attempt to change her perspective by babysitting a young boy named Eliot was unsuccessful as Eliot was unable to be part of her reality (Lahiri 111). Eliot and Mrs. Sen share different personalities and interests, which makes it harder for them to be connected. Next is “The Treatment of Bibi Haldar” where Bibi Haldar rejects society to accept her own reality. For example, …show more content…
Bibi’s doctor said, “relations will calm her blood” (Lahiri 162). Therefore, Bibi’s only goal right now is to find a man. However, because of Bibi Haldar’s random seizures, she has a tough time finding a man. This affects the relationship she has with other people because her only goal is to find a man.
Most relationship are often torn apart if secrets are kept. Therefore, Lahiri explains how keeping secrets in a relationship causes guilt and pain. Next is the “Interpreter Of Maladies” where Mrs. Das, a married woman who visits India with her family, reveals her secret to Mr. Kapasi that Raj, one of her children, is not her son. (Lahiri 62-63). Despite Mr. Kapasi’s flirty approach on Mrs. Das, Mrs. Das sees Mr. Kapasi as a father figure, which allows her to reveal her secret. Although she does tell him her secret, she still feels guilt, which affects her relationship with her husband. Next, “The Temporary Matter” shows the same scenario. Shukamar and Shoba is a diverged family over the death of their baby. At 8:00 pm, the electricity goes out and Shukamar and Shoba play a game where they tell each other secrets (Lahiri 10). When the lights stopped going out, Shoba finally told Shukamar that she is leaving him. Filled with anger, Shukamar tells the biggest secret, “Our baby was a boy” (Lahiri 22). Living with secrecy in a relationship causes characters unable to face their lives and struggle with emotional pain.
Lahiri introduces her values on respect and self-respect through “Sexy.” Without this value, relationships will only be temporary.
In this story, Miranda, a mistress, has an affair with an Indian man named Dev. Lahiri describes the inappropriate and disrespectful relationship Miranda and Dev have. For example, “As he talked he smoked three cigarettes, crushing them in a saucer by the side of her bed (Lahiri 94). Laxmi’s concern about her cousin’s affair questions Miranda’s behavior. Miranda feels guilty as Robin explains what “sexy” means, “loving someone you don’t know” (Lahiri 107). As it is for Miranda, relationships without respect will not last
long.
Lahiri’s stories contains happy and worked out relationships. Lahiri’s emphasizes the theme of understanding each other in a relationship. “The Blessed House” challenges this theme by having mismatched couple, Sanjeev and Twinkle, find happiness. Despite the regret Sanjeev had about marrying Twinkle, Sanjeev later figures out why he married Twinkle. Twinkle becomes the life of the party. Sanjeev concedes that “these were among the things that made Prabal think she was wow” (Lahiri 157). This story highlights the theme of understanding each other because both person learns how to allow each other’s ideas. Lastly, “The Third and Final Continent” wraps all the significant issues with relationships by ending it with a happy ending. The narrator in this story lives in the American culture but keeps his Indian identity. Mala, the narrator’s arranged married wife, takes role as a traditional Indian wife. The narrator did not realize that his wife is portrayed as a “perfect lady” until Mrs. Croft says it (Lahiri 195). From then on, he understands Mala and shows serious love to his wife. This shows the culture of peace and happiness in relationships through understanding each other.
Jhumpa Lahiri’s stories illustrate many important values people should have in order to keep a healthy relationship with others. Lahiri should have categorize these stories by ordering them by different issues in relationships. Lahiri’s main point is to understand each other in every difficult or comfortable relationships.
Throughout the Interpreter of Maladies, Jhumpa Lahiri categorizes all nine books in a questionable yet interesting way. All of her stories involve a relationship between friends, family, and couples. Lahiri portrays the ideas of honesty, compassion, and respect by introducing the Indian culture. Lahiri’s technique and style of all nine books represent the important values of relationships. Lahiri’s selection of ordering the stories should be categorize on how different issues can affect the relationships the characters have on each other.
Most of the stories in the Interpreter of Maladies happen in places where characters find it hard to adapt to their environment, which affects his or her relationship. Starting out with the story “Mrs. Sen”, Mrs. Sen is having trouble adapting to the American culture. The American culture distracts Mrs. Sen from building new relationships with other characters in the story. Mrs. Sen’s attempt to change her perspective by babysitting a young boy named Eliot was unsuccessful as Eliot was unable to be part of her reality (Lahiri 111). Eliot and Mrs. Sen share different personalities and interests, which makes it harder for them to be connected. Next is “The Treatment of Bibi Haldar” where Bibi Haldar rejects society to accept her own reality. For example, …show more content…
Bibi’s doctor said, “relations will calm her blood” (Lahiri 162). Therefore, Bibi’s only goal right now is to find a man. However, because of Bibi Haldar’s random seizures, she has a tough time finding a man. This affects the relationship she has with other people because her only goal is to find a man.
Most relationship are often torn apart if secrets are kept. Therefore, Lahiri explains how keeping secrets in a relationship causes guilt and pain. Next is the “Interpreter Of Maladies” where Mrs. Das, a married woman who visits India with her family, reveals her secret to Mr. Kapasi that Raj, one of her children, is not her son. (Lahiri 62-63). Despite Mr. Kapasi’s flirty approach on Mrs. Das, Mrs. Das sees Mr. Kapasi as a father figure, which allows her to reveal her secret. Although she does tell him her secret, she still feels guilt, which affects her relationship with her husband. Next, “The Temporary Matter” shows the same scenario. Shukamar and Shoba is a diverged family over the death of their baby. At 8:00 pm, the electricity goes out and Shukamar and Shoba play a game where they tell each other secrets (Lahiri 10). When the lights stopped going out, Shoba finally told Shukamar that she is leaving him. Filled with anger, Shukamar tells the biggest secret, “Our baby was a boy” (Lahiri 22). Living with secrecy in a relationship causes characters unable to face their lives and struggle with emotional pain.
Lahiri introduces her values on respect and self-respect through “Sexy.” Without this value, relationships will only be temporary.
In this story, Miranda, a mistress, has an affair with an Indian man named Dev. Lahiri describes the inappropriate and disrespectful relationship Miranda and Dev have. For example, “As he talked he smoked three cigarettes, crushing them in a saucer by the side of her bed (Lahiri 94). Laxmi’s concern about her cousin’s affair questions Miranda’s behavior. Miranda feels guilty as Robin explains what “sexy” means, “loving someone you don’t know” (Lahiri 107). As it is for Miranda, relationships without respect will not last
long.
Lahiri’s stories contains happy and worked out relationships. Lahiri’s emphasizes the theme of understanding each other in a relationship. “The Blessed House” challenges this theme by having mismatched couple, Sanjeev and Twinkle, find happiness. Despite the regret Sanjeev had about marrying Twinkle, Sanjeev later figures out why he married Twinkle. Twinkle becomes the life of the party. Sanjeev concedes that “these were among the things that made Prabal think she was wow” (Lahiri 157). This story highlights the theme of understanding each other because both person learns how to allow each other’s ideas. Lastly, “The Third and Final Continent” wraps all the significant issues with relationships by ending it with a happy ending. The narrator in this story lives in the American culture but keeps his Indian identity. Mala, the narrator’s arranged married wife, takes role as a traditional Indian wife. The narrator did not realize that his wife is portrayed as a “perfect lady” until Mrs. Croft says it (Lahiri 195). From then on, he understands Mala and shows serious love to his wife. This shows the culture of peace and happiness in relationships through understanding each other.
Jhumpa Lahiri’s stories illustrate many important values people should have in order to keep a healthy relationship with others. Lahiri should have categorize these stories by ordering them by different issues in relationships. Lahiri’s main point is to understand each other in every difficult or comfortable relationships.