Analysis Of Jhumpa Lahiri's Interpreter Of Maladies

Kapasi’s point of view and that of Mrs. Das, we will see some common features and differences, and above all, this is due to the fact that there are male and female points of view. Mrs. Das said how she met her future husband, how they communicated, and most importantly that she got married for real love. As many young girls, she dreamed of a strong marriage, but she ended up in an indifferent relationship with her husband, who on this trip to sees everything through the lens of his camera; she worries about Bobby and wants advice from Mr. Kapasi who is almost the same age as her father, but he has a lustful thoughts and is unwilling to understand her complex situations. As though from different angles. For instance, Mrs. Das always in her glasses and almost never removes them (338), Mr. Das sees the world through his camera (336) and he is missing the really important points that happen with his

“They wept together, for the things they now knew.”(104) The last sentence of the first story in Interpreter of Maladies, reveals the cruelty of the elapsed romance in a marriage. In the two collections, A Temporary Matter and The Third and Final Continent, Jhumpa Lahiri demonstrates that a marriage can be either uplifting or discouraging depends on the mindset held by the couple and the strength of human bonding. Lahiri emphasizes the significance of mindset and human bondings through the ending of the two stories. The endings of the two stories are polar opposite : In A Temporary Matter, Shukumar and Shobha weeps for the termination of their relationship; The Third and Final Continent, by contrast, the protagonist(MIT) enjoys a fairytale-like

Interpreter of Maladies is just one of the many short stories written by Jhumpa Lahiri. Interpreter of Maladies is the story of an American family and an Indian tour guide, Mr. Kapasi. Driving from location to location, Mr. Kapasi revealed his second job as a translator of symptoms of patients who speak a different language than the doctor. Mrs. Das declared his job romantic. Mr. Kapasi became smitten with the woman because he himself suffered from a broken marriage. Seeking help from Mr.Kapasi, Mrs. Das wanted a remedy for her malady; therefore, Mrs. Das admitted that her middle child wasn’t conceived by her husband. However, Mr. Kapasi could not find a solution to her problem. He could only diagnose her with the feeling of guilt. There

Interpreter of Maladies focuses on communication as one of the universal themes throughout the book. The stories demonstrate how communication is the key to the success or failure of relationships. While there are instances when communication is effectively employed and therefore enabled the characters to build strong and intimate connections, there are examples of where communication was superficial or ineffectual, leading to unstable, limited relationships. Jhumpa Lahiri illustrates the importance of communication within relationships by allowing readers to experience the consequences and advantages that have developed as a result throughout the short

Sunglasses, not only worn for protection from the sun, are also used for other reasons. Some are unrecognizable in sunshades and can even hide their true selves. Ultimately, sunglasses can even hide one’s shame. In Jhumpa Lahiri’s short story, Interpreter of Maladies, Mrs. Das, a major character, is portrayed as a distant woman that searches for romance in all the wrong places. Throughout the story, Mrs. Das rarely removes her sunglasses. The symbol of Mrs. Das’s sunglasses represents the detachment from her own family, the potential bond breaking secrets she hides from them, and the inevitable guilt she feels.

Depression is a silent disease that others around may not pick up on. Depression affects many human beings and without proper treatment can lead to one taking their life. This is a very real disease that has been around for a long time. In the past depression was not really talked about as it was a shameful and embarrassing thing. People did not want to talk about their feelings because society and media had put a stigma on sadness and hurtfulness.

Every person experiences their own struggles and faces their own internal battles, which they must overcome every day. Neddy Merrill, an alcoholic man, tries to swim home by travelling to different neighbors’ homes and swimming in their pools throughout John Cheever’s story “The Swimmer”, faces the mental and physical struggles of alcoholism. In Jhumpa Lahiri’s short story “Interpreter of Maladies”, Mrs. Das embodies a selfish mother who cannot face the responsibilities and realities of her life. She has to face the pain and guilt she holds inside caused by cheating on her husband with his best friend. The two characters show surprising parallels to the internal struggles people go through every day, such as emotional distance and unnecessary

The author begins to imply struggles in the relationship which is considered modern. Lovisa starts to feel less important to her husband and is looking for ways to make him interested. The story implies that when Lovisa gets a chance to disobey her husband by being friendly with his enemy, she takes it and lies about where she was. Some facts in this short story are stated and some are implied. Some stated facts are marriage, happiness, and fear of not being good enough for the relationship.

His arranged marriage is struggling because his wife cannot recover from her sorrow over the loss of their young son. Mrs. Das’s sudden interest in his job makes him start his romantic imagination journey. When the Das family has lunch, Mr. Kapasi is invited to join with them. Then, they take the photograph which Mr. Kapasi happens to sit next to Mrs. Das. At the time, Mr. Kapasi feels that he is the best match with Mrs. Das as both of them have the same maritally unsatisfied circumstances. Mrs. Das asks for Mr. Kapasi’s address to send the photograph that they have taken. For her, asking Mr. Kapasi’s address is nothing, but for Mr. Kapasi, writing his address on the scrap paper becomes the way to begin his romantic relationship.

I think the theme of this is about chaos and how Mr. Kapasi feels about this chaotic family. Everyone’s home life is different, so I think it’s a combination of what Mr. Kapasi see’s and how the family behaves. It’s obvious that these parents were either too young or too immature for children. The way that they act proves that the impression that Mr. Kapasi has could be true. It seems as if these people are so wrapped up in their own problems that they can’t get beyond what it might actually mean to be a family. It literally seemed like Mrs. Das was

Lahiri uses Twinkle and Sanjeev's relationship to show how it is unhealthy to expect others to conform to traditional gender roles. Sanjeev expects Twinkle to conform to traditional gender roles of

This is shown through the line “Miranda felt Rohin's words under her skin, the same way she'd felt Dev's. But instead of going hot she felt numb. It reminded her of the way she'd felt at the Indian grocery, the moment she knew, without even looking at a picture, that Madhuri Dixit, whom Dev's wife resembled was beautiful.” Lahiri had effectively used this quote to show the reader that although Dev was the first man that Miranda fell in love to, he in fact, never loves her and at this point, her sexiness has become meaningless to him at this moment. Lahiri had effectively used the powerful symbolism of the Mapparium that shows their connections that happened across 2 different cultures are connected by the bridge.

In Jhumpa Lahiri’s ‘Interpreter of Maladies’ Mr. Kapasi , the main character, seems to be a person with mixed feelings. He does not seem to have fixed stand neither in his job nor on his thoughts. His thoughts and experience are structured by the strict cultural society of India. His hidden wants and desires suppressed by the community rules are looking for way to come out. The consequence is his changing thoughts and desires which at different parts of the story appear differently and brings

Similarly, in the piece "When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine," a young girl observes and appreciates from a far a family friend who recently arrived from India. It is evident that in a short period of time he has assimilated to the everyday American lifestyle. He has an established career as a professor and is invited to dinner parties on a regular basis by the Lilia's family. Yet this supposed success through assimilation is not where Mr, Pirzada finds satisfaction. Although his family is suffering in Dacca after a war time crisis, Pirzada is still able to find some sort of satisfaction at Lilia's house as he participates in Indian influenced activities. He plays a round of carom with the family, and chews on fennel seeds, as he experiences moments of happiness among the thoughts of the death of his family back home.

In order to overcome one’s malady, one has to interpret it at first. Mina Das also suffers from a malady. Her malady is deep-rooted and she had been suffering from it since seven years. For the first time in her life, she reveals to Mr.Kapasi that her younger son Bobby was not her husband’s. Raj and Mina got married very young. She was overwhelmed when she conceived very early. She spent her days in her house, nursing the baby and taking care of the house. Raj became very busy with his teaching assignments and life became dull and drab for Mina. Her problems became more complicated when she conceived Bobby because of a sexual encounter with one of Raj’s friend. She kept the secret for eight years and finally revealed it to Mr. Kapasi. She thought that Mr.Kapasi is the right one who could interpret her malady and give proper solutions to her problems- “Eight years, Mr.Kapasi, I’ve been in pain eight years. I was hoping you could help me feel better, say the right thing. Suggest some kind of remedy.” (IOM,65). Mr.Kapasi, because of his typical Indian background and patriarchal ideology could not understand the depth of her problem. Instead he was disgusted. He felt that it was his duty to assist Mrs.Das and said- “Is it really pain you feel, Mrs.Das, or is it guilt?”(IOM,66) Mina Das was not ready to accept that it was her guilt that made her suffer. Mr.kapasi could not understand the fact that it was because of her unhappiness and dullness in her marriage that caused her to have an extra-marital sexual relationship. He considers it as an act of unfaithfulness towards her husband. In the story, Jhumpa Lahiri shows how the Indians and Americans are caught in the middle of two different cultures. Mr.Kapasi wanted to have a close relationship with Mrs.Das, he fantasized about her. But as soon as, he came to know about her secrets of the affair, Mr.Kapasi was disgusted. Mr.kapasi’s relationship