Comparing 'Interpreter Of Maladies And Sexy'

    Postmodernism is a form of literature which is marked both stylistically and ideologically, by a reliance on such literary conventions as unreliable narrators , parody, unrealistic plots, dark humor and authorial self-reference.  A Girl’s Story written by David Arnason is a perfect example of postmodernism because David tends to ignore the traditional limitation of structure. He uses the power of his mind to develop his story (A Girl’s Story). David uses the cultures and classes to create a limitation free story that anyone can enjoy and understand.

Postmodernism is a term which is highly contested in the sociological world, where it is used to indicate a significant detachment from modernism. It is easier to give the uses of the term; ‘to give a name to the present historical period, to name a specific style in arts and architecture and to name a point of rupture or disjuncture in epistemology’ (Buchanan, 2010). For this,

Furthermore, in this book, Frank argues that the modernist perception of disease is a structure of "colonization," which also means that the sick individual surrender his or her body, and the narrative of his or her life to biomedical skill. In a post-modern conception, the sick individuals will find the defense and strength to tell their own story, regain the expert and energy to recount his or her own story. It takes one to create a new lifestyle narrative from the

▪ Post-structuralism or Deconstruction – the theme of metaphysics plays very significant role in this story and the question of people’s lives is raised. This metaphysical view sees literature functioning beyond the periphery but rather associates every human phenomenon with supernaturalism.

In both “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver, and “Interpreter of Maladies” by Jhumpa Lahiri, dysfunctional relationships are introduced between two characters; however, these relationships are greater in depth than a simple conflict and develop over time. Carver’s story begins with the narrator’s wife informing him of her close relations with Robert – the blind man – along with the many personal things she has shared with Robert; personal things consisting of her “[decision] to live away from her officer,” and later her divorce (Carver 35). This influenced the narrator’s reluctance to accept Robert, but the faith from the cathedral overpowered his distant behavior. Whereas, Lahiri creatively provokes dysfunction by illustrating misconceptions of a single word, “romantic”. Mrs. Das, a woman drowned in guilt and unhappiness refers to her tour guide’s – Mr. Kapasi – alternate job as an interpreter to be romantic; on the other hand, Kapasi, a man who longs for affection from a woman misunderstands her sudden interest for a physical and emotional attraction. Robert and the narrator’s relationship is more impactful than Mrs. Das and Mr. Kapasi because the narrator reaches an ultimate epiphany with the help of Robert.

Literature: the enlightenment, romanticism, realism, modernism, and postmodernism…. Where does one begin? To some, those words can be as scary as the word computer is to others. This essay is designed to help you become a great literary interpreter. Getting the motivation is three fourths of the battle to getting into the heads of the artists. To begin, an outline of some of the literary movements has been provided.

In any situation foreign to the character, anything and everything will be done to try to make sense of ones surroundings. The importance of identifying the type of the movies shown in “Worker Drone” by Raju, S. (2010) and “Play” by Kaplan and Zimmerman (2010) are vital to the understanding of not only the plot, but also the common themes presented. For example, common themes in both movies were was the sense of paranoia, a showcase of intertextuality and an ambiguous endings. All three common themes make it clear that these movies are in fact postmodern films, despite the fact that there were also a few common themes also found supporting a modernist and existentialist sense.

The post modern literary period started after World War II, it is characterized by the reliance on narrative techniques such as paradox, unreliable narrator, pigmentation, etc.

Postmodern writing evolved around WWII in response to Modernism that dominated the 19th c. The two writing styles share many characteristics, but the defeated modernist wallows in his realizations whereas the postmodernist offers a light or hope in conclusion. There is still a sense of foreboding for the postmodernist concerning science and technology. However, they are able to forge past their distrust, accept it as a logical progression, and begin to embrace some elements of advancement. Postmodernists have also lost faith in transcendence and spirituality, but to counter this loss they search and find hope in mystical forces or worldly treasures. Objective reality doesn’t exist for them either, but

“Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody,” says  Mark Twain. Twain’s concept shines through in multiple stories of Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri. Human vulnerability glimmers in the dark, while harsh public facades gloom over the daylight. Lahiri utilizes darkness to display true selves, personalities the individual desires to be seen are showcased using light. These devices are especially relevant in the text which is a tribute to human emotion and interaction as well as the power knowledge as on the heart. Two stories this is mainly true in are “A Temporary Matter” and “Interpreter of Maladies”.

By using a contrast of different social ideologies the author creates an image of what it means to be a women in both societies, such as the different views on having intercourse with different members of your community. An example of the author using a comparison and contrasting tool would be when Linda entered the savage reservation with a set idea of what it means to have intercourse versus the new rules she had to learn about how she can’t have sex with anyone she wants (Chapter 8 Pg119 ( how having intercourse is viewed in the savage reservation ) (quote: “ they say those men are their men,…”) ) vs ( Chapter 3 pg48 ( how having intercourse is viewed in the civilized society) ( quote: “ones got to play the game. After all everyone belongs to everyone else.”) ). However the mixture of these two different ideas and social behaviors results in the breakdown of one of the main characters allowing the reader to see the effect the morals of one society has towards the other. In addition to the contrast being created between the two different societies the author also shows the tough transition being made by Linda as she slowly embraces, small but significant, aspects of a new society communicating to the reader that the transition is hard but necessary to sustain another

The postmodern quality is Vonnegut’s “Harrison Bergeron” is feelings of anxiety, confusion, and uncertainty. The narrator says, “Some things about living still weren’t quite right, though.” (Vonnegut 459) This quotation shows that even in a society where everybody is made out to be equal; something is still off and confusing for the people. Another quote from “Harrison Bergeron” that represents

Bharati married an American-Canadian fellow that would live in every part of North America with her over a span of thirty-three years. She became “opting to fluidity, self-invention, blue jeans, and T-shirts, and renouncing three thousand years of caste-observant, ‘pure culture’ marriage in the Mukherjee family.” Despite their differences, the sisters knew they were the only blood relatives they had on the continent, so they had regular Sunday morning calls where they were carelessly affectionate. During these conversations the sisters would have small talk rather than speak what was truly on their mind, yet they pity one another: Mira “for the lack of structure in [Bharati’s] life, the erasure of Indianness, the absence of an unvarying daily core.” Bharati “for the narrowness of [Mira’s] perspective, her uninvolvement with the mythic depths or the superficial pop culture of the American society.” It is clear that the two differ, however, in the ways in which they hope to interact with the country

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

Modernism, in literature, can be seen as a shift in focus to the unassociated introspective reflection of characters in such texts as Go Tell It On The Mountain, by James Baldwin, Miss Lonelyhearts, by Nathanael West and The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger. This is a revision from the previous focal point of exterior events and places in correlation with the character’s reflections. Emphasis is placed on review upon feelings and thoughts, and even conversations with oneself, as opposed to the more directly event-driven reflections in texts of the pre-modernist era.