Interpreter of Maladies
Interpreter
of Maladies is a book collection of nine short
stories by American author of Indian origin Jhumpa
Lahiri published in 1999. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the Hemingway
Foundation/PEN Award in the year 2000 and has sold over
15 million copies worldwide. It was also chosen as The
New Yorker's Best
Debut of the Year and is on Oprah Winfrey's Top Ten Book List.
The
stories are about the lives of Indians and Indian
Americans who are caught between their roots
and the "New World".
Plot Summary
A Temporary Matter
A
married couple, Shukumar and Shoba, live as strangers in their house until an
electrical outage brings them together when all of sudden "they [are] able
to talk to each other again" in the four nights of darkness. From the
point of view of Shukumar, we are given bits and pieces of memory which slowly
gives insight into what has caused the distance in the marriage. For a brief
moment, it seems the distance is nothing but perhaps a result of a
disagreement. However, descriptions of Shukumar and Shoba's changed physical
appearances begin to hint at something much more than a lovers’ quarrel. We
soon find out that both characters’ worn outward appearance results from their
internal, emotional strife that has caused such deeply woven alienation from
each other.
The
husband and wife mourn for their stillborn baby. This traumatic loss casts a
tone of melancholia for the rest of the story. However, there is some hope for
the couple to reconnect as during each night of blackness, they confess more
and more to each other—the things that were never uttered as man and woman. A
late night drink with a friend, a ripped out photo from a magazine, and anguish
over a sweater vest are all confessions made in the nightly blackouts. Shukumar
and Shoba become closer as the secrets combine into a knowledge that seems like
the remedy to mend the enormous loss they share together. On the fourth night,
we are given the most hope at their reconnection when they "mak[e] love
with a desperation they had forgotten."
But
just as to be stillborn is to have never begun life, so too does the couple's
effort to rekindle their marriage fail at inception. One last confession is
given first by Shoba, then another by Shukumar at the end of "A Temporary
Matter". In full confidence with one another, they acknowledge the finality
in the loss of their marriage. And finally, "They weep for the things they
now knew."
When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine
Mr.
Pirzada is a botany professor from Dhaka and is living in New England for the year after receiving a
research grant from the Pakistani Government; he has left behind his wife and
seven daughters, who he has not contacted in months. Because his grant does not
provide him much for daily provisions, he routinely visits ten-year-old Lilia
and her family for dinner, often bringing confectionery for the young girl.
When Lilia mistakenly refers to Mr. Pirzada as "Indian" to her
parents in private, her father tells her that he is Pakistani, which is
puzzling to Lilia because he looks like her parents, eats the same things, and
speaks Bengali like them. However, the constant television news of the East Pakistan-West Pakistan War informs her about Mr. Pirzada's differences as well as his
current plight. Because of this, she decides one night to eat the candy he
gives her, pray, and forgo brushing her teeth so that the magic of the candy
through prayer will remain. She also tries her best to learn as much about
Pakistan as possible from her school library. Her curiosity is stunted by her
teacher telling her there is "no reason to consult" the book on
Pakistan, mirroring the Americentric nature of the education system in the
United States.
During
late October, her mother buys a large pumpkin, which Lilia insists she carves.
Mr. Pirzada offers his help and ends up doing most of the cutting. When news of
a potential war between India and West Pakistan over East Pakistan is reported,
the knife slips from Mr. Pirzada's hand and forms an "O" as the
jack-o-lantern's mouth. During Halloween, when Lilia and her friend Dora go
trick-or-treating dressed as witches, Mr. Pirzada insists that he accompany
them for safety purposes; Lilia responds, "don't worry" and soon
realizes the irony of her statement. Mr. Pirzada responds, "if the lady
insists" and stays with Lilia's parents for the night.
During
Lilia and Dora's stroll around the neighborhood, Dora asks why Mr. Pirzada
wanted to accompany them so direly. Lilia remarks that "his daughters are
missing," which causes her great guilt upon saying it. Lilia then tries to
justify to Dora that she misspoke a moment ago and that Mr. Pirzada's daughters
are actually fine. That night, upon returning home, she learns of the imminent India-Pakistan War and when it occurs in December, their home is deprived of
joy. After the new year, Mr. Pirzada returns home to a new nation, Bangladesh.
Soon after when he sends pictures of him and all his daughters, Lilia and her
family are relieved. Lilia reveals that she has been eating a piece of
Halloween candy and praying for him everyday, but when she received the good
news, stopped doing so and eventually decided to throw away the candy.
Interpreter of Maladies
Mr.
and Mrs. Das, Indian Americans visiting the country of their heritage, hire
middle-aged tour guide Mr. Kapasi as their driver for the day as they tour. Mr.
Kapasi notes the parents’ immaturity. Mr. and Mrs. Das look and act young to
the point of childishness, go by their first names when talking to their
children, Ronny, Bobby, and Tina, and seem selfishly indifferent to the kids.
On their trip, when her husband and children get out of the car to sightsee,
Mrs. Das sits in the car, eating snacks she offers to no one else, wearing her
sunglasses as a barrier, and painting her nails. When Tina asks her to paint
her nails as well, Mrs. Das just turns away and rebuffs her daughter.
Mr.
and Mrs. Das ask the good-natured Mr. Kapasi about his job as a tour guide, and
he tells them about his weekday job as an interpreter in a doctor's office. Mr.
Kapasi's wife resents her husband's job because he works at the doctor's clinic
that previously failed to cure their son of typhoid fever. She belittles his
job, and he, too, discounts the importance of his occupation as a waste of his
linguistic skills. However, Mrs. Das deems it “romantic” and a big
responsibility, pointing out that the health of the patients depends upon Mr.
Kapasi's correct interpretation of their maladies.
Mr.
Kapasi begins to develop a romantic interest in Mrs. Das, and conducts a
private conversation with her during the trip. Mr. Kapasi imagines a future
correspondence with Mrs. Das, picturing them building a relationship to
translate the transcontinental gap between them. However, Mrs. Das reveals a
secret: she tells Mr. Kapasi the story of an affair she once had, and that her
son Bobby had been born out of her adultery. She explains that she chose to
tell Mr. Kapasi because of his profession; she hopes he can interpret her
feelings and make her feel better as he does for his patients, translating
without passing judgment. However, when Mr. Kapasi reveals his disappointment
in her and points out her guilt, Mrs. Das storms off.
As
Mrs. Das walks away towards her family, she leaves a trail of crumbs of puffed
rice snacks, and monkeys begin to trail her. The neglectful Das parents don't
notice as the monkeys, following Mrs. Das's food trail, surround their son,
Bobby, isolating the son born of a different father. The monkeys begin to
attack Bobby, and Mr. Kapasi rushes in to save him. Mr. Kapasi returns Bobby to
his parents, and looks on as they clean up their son.
A Real Durwan
Boori
Ma is a feeble 64-year-old woman from Calcutta who is the stairsweeper, or durwan, of an old brick
building. In exchange for her services, the residents allow Boori Ma to sleep
in front of the collapsible gates leading into the tenement. While sweeping,
she narrates stories of her past: her daughter's extravagant wedding, her
servants, her estate and her riches. The residents of the brick building hear
continuous contradictions in Boori's storytelling, but her stories are
seductive and compelling, so they let her contradictions rest. One family in
particular takes a liking to Boori Ma, the Dalals. Mrs. Dalal often gives Boori
Ma food and takes care of her ailments. When Mr. Dalal gets promoted at work,
he improves the brick building by installing a sink in the stairwell and a sink
in his home. The Dalals continue to improve their home and even go away on a
trip to Simla for ten days and promise to bring Boori Ma a sheep's hair blanket.
While the Dalals are away, the other residents become obsessed with making
their own improvement to the building. Boori Ma even spends her life savings on
special treats while circling around the neighborhood. However, while Boori Ma
is out one afternoon, the sink in the stairwell is stolen. The residents accuse
Boori Ma of informing the robbers and in negligence for her job. When Boori Ma
protests, the residents continue to accuse her because of all her previous
inconsistent stories. The residents' obsession with materializing the building
dimmed their focus on the remaining members of their community, like Boori Ma.
The short story concludes as the residents throw out Boori Ma's belongings and
begin a search for a 'real durwan'. Note that 'durwan' means housekeeper in
both Bengali and Hindi.
Sexy
“Sexy”
centers on Miranda, a young white woman who has an affair with a married Indian
man named Dev. Although one of Miranda's work friends is an Indian woman named
Laxmi, Miranda knows very little about India and its culture. The first time
she meets Dev, she is not able to discern his ethnicity. However, she is
instantly captivated by his charm and the thrill of being with an exotic, older
man. Dev takes Miranda to the Mapparium, where he whispers "You're sexy." Miranda buys
"sexy" clothes that she thinks are suitable for a mistress, but feels
pangs of guilt because Dev is married. Meanwhile, Laxmi's cousin has been
abandoned by her husband, who left the cousin for a younger woman. One day,
Laxmi's cousin comes to Boston and Miranda is asked to babysit the cousin's
seven-year-old son, Rohin. Rohin asks Miranda to try on the sexy clothes that
she bought, and gives Miranda insight into his mother's grief. Miranda decides
that she and Dev's wife both "deserve better," and stops seeing Dev.
Mrs. Sen's
In
this story, 11-year-old Eliot begins staying with Mrs. Sen—a university
professor's wife—after school. The caretaker, Mrs. Sen, chops and prepares food
as she tells Eliot stories of her past life in Calcutta, helping to craft her
identity. Like "A Temporary Matter," this story is filled with lists
of produce, catalogs of ingredients, and descriptions of recipes. Emphasis is
placed on ingredients and the act of preparation. Other objects are emphasized
as well, such as Mrs. Sen's colorful collection of saris from her native India.
Much of the plot revolves around Mrs. Sen's tradition of purchasing fish from a
local seafood market. This fish reminds Mrs. Sen of her home and holds great
significance for her. However, reaching the seafood market requires driving, a
skill that Mrs. Sen has not learned and resists learning. At the end of the
story, Mrs. Sen attempts to drive to the market without her husband, and ends
up in an automobile accident. Eliot soon stops staying with Mrs. Sen
thereafter.
This Blessed House
Sanjeev
and Twinkle, a newly married couple, are exploring their new house in Hartford,
Connecticut, which appears to have been owned by fervent Christians: they keep
finding gaudy Biblical paraphernalia hidden throughout the house. While Twinkle
is delighted by these objects and wants to display them everywhere, Sanjeev is
uncomfortable with them and reminds her that they are Hindu, not Christian.
This argument reveals other problems in their relationship; Sanjeev doesn't
seem to understand Twinkle's spontaneity, whereas Twinkle has little regard for
Sanjeev's discomfort. He is planning a party for his coworkers and is worried
about the impression they might get from the interior decorating if their
mantelpiece is full of Biblical figurines. After some arguing and a brief
amount of tears, a compromise is reached. When the day of the party arrives,
the guests are enamored with Twinkle. Sanjeev still has conflicting feelings
about her; he is captivated by her beauty and energy, but irritated by her
naivete and impractical tendencies. The story ends with her and the other party
guests discovering a large bust of Jesus Christ in the attic. Although the
object disgusts him, he obediently carries it downstairs. This action can be
interpreted as Sanjeev giving into Twinkle and accepting her eccentricities.
The Treatment of Bibi Haldar
28-year-old
Bibi Haldar is gripped by a mysterious ailment, and myriad tests and treatments
have failed to cure her. She has been told to stand on her head, shun garlic,
drink egg yolks in milk, to gain weight and to lose weight. The fits that could
strike at any moment keep her confined to the home of her dismissive elder
cousin and his wife, who provide her only meals, a room, and a length of cotton
to replenish her wardrobe each year. Bibi keeps the inventory of her brother's
cosmetics stall and is watched over by the women of their community. She sweeps
the store, wondering loudly why she was cursed to this fate, to be alone and
jealous of the wives and mothers around her. The women come to the conclusion
that she wants a man. When they show her artifacts from their weddings, Bibi proclaims
what her own wedding will look like. Bibi is inconsolable at the prospect of
never getting married. The women try to calm her by wrapping her in shawls,
washing her face or buying her new blouses. After a particularly violent fit,
her cousin Haldar emerges to take her to the polyclinic. A remedy is
prescribed—marriage: “Relations will calm her blood.” Bibi is delighted by this
news and begins to plan and plot the wedding and to prepare herself physically
and mentally. But Haldar and his wife dismiss this possibility. She is nearly
30, the wife says, and unskilled in the ways of being a woman: her studies
ceased prematurely, she is not allowed to watch TV, she has not been told how
to pin a sari or how to prepare meals. The women don't understand why, then,
this reluctance to marry her off if she such a burden to Haldar and his wife.
The wife asks who will pay for the wedding?
One
morning, wearing a donated sari, Bibi demands that Haldar take her to be
photographed so her image can be circulated among the bachelors, like other
brides-in-waiting. Haldar refuses. He says she is a bane for business, a
liability and a loss. In retaliation, Bibi stops calculating the inventory for
the shop and circulates gossip about Haldar's wife. To quiet her down, Haldar places
an ad in the paper proclaiming the availability of an “unstable” bride. No
family would take the risk. Still, the women try to prepare her for her wifely
duties. After two months of no suitors, Haldar and his wife feel vindicated.
Things were not so bad when Bibi's father was alive. He created charts of her
fits and wrote to doctors abroad to try to cure her. He also distributed
information to the members of the village so they were aware of her condition.
But now only the women can look after her while being thankful, in private,
that she is not their responsibility.
When
Haldar's wife gets pregnant, Bibi is kept away from her for fear of infecting
the child. Her plates are not washed with the others, and she is given separate
towels and soap. Bibi suffers another attack on the banks of the fish pond,
convulsing for nearly two minutes. The husbands of the village escort her home
in order to find her rest, a compress, and a sedative tablet. But Haldar and
his wife do not let her in. That night, Bibi sleeps in the storage room. After
a difficult birth, Haldar's wife delivers a girl. Bibi sleeps in the basement
and is not allowed direct contact with the girl. She suffers more unchecked
fits. The women voice their concern but it goes unheeded. They take their
business elsewhere and the cosmetics in the stall soon expire on their shelves.
In autumn, Haldar's daughter becomes ill. Bibi is blamed. Bibi moves back into
the storeroom and stops socializing—and stops searching for a husband. By the
end of the year, Haldar is driven out of business, and he packs his family up
and moves away. He leaves Bibi behind with only a thin envelope of cash.
There
is no more news of them and a letter written to Bibi's only other known
relative is returned by the postal service. The women spruce up the storeroom
and send their children to play on their roof in order to alert others in the
event of an attack. At night, however, Bibi is left alone. Haggard, she circles
the parapet but never leaves the roof. In spring, vomit is discovered by the
cistern and the women find Bibi, pregnant. The women search for traces of
assault, but Bibi's storeroom is tidy. She refuses to tell the women who the
father is, only saying that she can't remember what happened. A ledger with
men's names lay open near her cot. The women help her carry her son to term and
teach her how to care for the baby. She takes Haldar's old creams and wares out
of the basement and reopens his shop. The women spread the word and soon the
stall is providing enough money for Bibi to raise her boy. For years, the women
try to sniff out who had disgraced Bibi but to no avail. The one fact they
could agree upon is that Bibi seemed to be cured.
The Third and Final Continent
In
"The Third and Final Continent", the narrator lives in India, then
moves to London, then finally to America. The title of this story tells us that
the narrator has been to three different continents and chooses to stay in the
third, North America. As soon as the narrator arrives he decides to stay at the
YMCA. After saving some money he decides to move somewhere a little more like
home. He responds to an advertisement in the paper and ends up living with an
elderly woman. At first he is very respectful and courteous to the elderly
woman. The narrator does not feel that he owes the old woman anything and does
not really go out of his way for her.
But
after he discovers that the elderly woman is one hundred and three years old he
then changes. He becomes more caring and even amazed that this old woman has lived
for one hundred and three years. Because of this woman's age she is not
accustomed to the modern times in which this story takes place. The narrator
just like the elderly woman is not accustomed to the times in America but also
America in general. So this may help the narrator to feel more comfortable in
his new setting. After living with the elderly woman for about six weeks, the
narrator grows somewhat attached to this woman.
Once
his wife, who he was set up beforehand to marry, arrives in America he then
decides to move to a bigger home. Upon this decision, he also realizes that he
is going to have to look out for and nurture his new wife. After living with
his wife for some time, who he at first had barely known, he soon finds out
that the elderly woman he had once lived with is now dead. This hurts him
because this is the first person in America for whom he had felt any feelings.
After the woman's death, he then becomes more comfortable with his wife, not
because the woman died but because of the time he is spending with his wife.
Just like his relationship with elderly woman, the more time he spends with a
person the closer he becomes with them. After sometime the narrator falls in
love with his wife and is constantly remembering the elderly woman with whom he
had once lived.
Critical reception
Interpreter
of Maladies garnered universal acclaim from
myriad publications. Michiko Kakutani of the New York Times praises
Lahiri for her writing style, citing her "uncommon elegance and
poise." Time applauded the collection for "illuminating the
full meaning of brief relationships—with lovers, family friends, those met in
travel".[1] Ronny Noor asserts, "The value of these
stories—although some of them are loosely constructed—lies into fact that they
transcend confined borders of immigrant experience to embrace larger age-old
issues that are, in the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, 'cast into the mould of
these new times' redefining America."[2]
Noelle
Brada-Williams notes that Indian-American literature is under-represented and
that Lahiri deliberately tries to give a diverse view of Indian Americans so as
not to brand the group as a whole. She also argues that Interpreter of
Maladies is not just a collection of random short stories that have common
components, but a "short
story cycle" in which the themes and
motifs are intentionally connected to produce a cumulative effect on the
reader: "...a deeper look reveals the intricate use of pattern and motif
to bind the stories together, including recurring themes of the barriers to and
opportunities for human communication; community, including marital,
extra-marital, and parent-child relationships; and the dichotomy of care and
neglect."[3]
Ketu
H. Katrak reads Interpreter of Maladies as reflecting the trauma of
self-transformation through immigration, which can result in a series of broken
identities that form "multiple anchorages." Lahiri's stories show the
diasporic struggle to keep hold of culture as characters create new lives in
foreign cultures. Relationships, language, rituals, and religion all help these
characters maintain their culture in new surroundings even as they build a
"hybrid realization" as Asian Americans.[4]
Laura
Anh Williams observes the stories as highlighting the frequently omitted female
diasporic subject. Through the foods they eat, and the ways they prepare and
eat them, the women in these stories utilize foodways to construct their own
unique racialized
subjectivity and to engender agency. Williams notes the ability of food in
literature to function autobiographically, and in fact, Interpreter of
Maladies indeed reflects Lahiri's own family experiences. Lahiri recalls
that for her mother, cooking "was her jurisdiction. It was also her
secret." For individuals such as Lahiri's' mother, cooking constructs a
sense of identity, interrelationship, and home that is simultaneously communal
and yet also highly personal.[5][6]
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