The Interpreter of Maladies - Literature review Example

The Interpreter of Maladies – A Literary Analysis Outline Introduction: The stories Interpreter of Maladies, A Real Durwan and Mrs. Sen’s within thecollection Interpreter of Maladies show strong characterization which helps to emphasize the themes that are common throughout the book. Body: The characterization of Mr. Kapasi and Mrs. Das and the interaction between them shows the manner in which the American and Indian cultures collide, even in those with the same heritage. Boori Ma’s characterization as a lonely, eccentric old woman helps to show the prevalence and severity of prejudice Mrs. Sen represents a woman who holds onto the past at the expense of welcoming or becoming a part of the new world in which she finds herself Conclusion: Characterization within the three stories exemplify and help the reader to identify themes which are common to Indians dealing with American culture, and are prevalent throughout the collection. Published in 1999, Interpreter of Maladies is a collection of short stories, nine in total, which focuses on the experiences of Indian Americans and Indians within America. The stories talk about differences in races and in cultures, shown through strong characterization. Three themes that are common throughout the collection are the clash between Indian and American cultures, prejudice and holding onto the past. While the themes are prominent throughout the collection, they can be best exemplified by the characterization within Interpreter of Maladies, A Real Durwan and Mrs. Sen’s respectively. The way in which the characters in these stories are presented increases the impact of the themes and helps the reader to identify with them. Mrs. Das and Mr. Kapasi work as a foil for one another in Interpreter of Maladies, emphasizing differences between the Indian and American culture and the way the priorities clash. Although Mrs. Das is Indian, she was born and raised in America and the way she acts clearly reflects this. In contrast, Mr. Kapasi has been brought up in traditional Indian society. In both of his jobs Mr. Kapasi works to bridge the gap between the two cultures, however he feels trapped within his career choices and his life in general. The character of Mrs. Das is shown by the way in which she treats her family. She ignores her daughter who is seeking her attention, refuses to share her food with her children and argues with her husband about who is to take their child to the bathroom. All these instances show how she is disengaged from her family and not interested in connecting with them. Another aspect of her characterization is the sunglasses she wears to hide her eyes, because she doesn’t want people to see her emotions. An affair eight years earlier is the source of considerable guilt for Mrs. Das, which she longs to rid herself of. Mr. Kapasi is shown as more thoughtful than Mrs. Das. He has many disappointments in his own life, and feels trapped in a loveless marriage, yet his emotions aren’t portrayed in anger and judgment in the way that Mrs. Das’s are. Rather, he imagines Mrs. Das as a kindred spirit, someone he can connect with and who will understand how he feels. However, when the two startlingly different characters do talk at a personal level, the differences between them become even more distinct. Instead of the sympathy Mrs. Das appears to be seeking, Mr. Kapasi gives her only advice, and is seems uninterested in her problems. From his perspective, he finds her confession to be disturbing and is repulsed by it, trying multiple times to prevent her from confiding in him. The stark differences in the characterization of these two individuals underline the theme of the story, the strong distinction between the American and Indian culture, even in two individuals who share the same birthright. Boori Ma is an old woman in a new world, and her characterization in A Real Durwan emphasizes the prevalence and severity of prejudice. Boori Ma appears eccentric to all those around her. She talks about the past to anyone who will listen, even those who seem disinterested, and appears more interested in what was than in the present time. Her eccentricity is emphasized by items that she possesses, such as keys to closets from Pakistan, which she will never have a use for again. She stands in corners and watches people, making little effort to interact. It is never made clear whether the stories that Boori Ma tells are true or if they are the ramblings of a lonely old women. She talks extensively of a better life and of being a land owner, yet her current position has her with no income and little in the way of finances and possessions. The people of the apartments find her stories amusing because they see them as figments of her imagination. Those that show her kindness do so out of a sense of charity, an idea that they are helping someone less fortunate. Prejudice against her is strong because of her social position. She is seen as being nothing and no one, given no pay for her role, merely accommodation and the odd kindness. The way in which the residents think of her becomes clear when she is accused of aiding thieves in stealing a new wall-mounted sink. Although there is no evidence that she had any role in the theft she is forcibly evicted with her few possessions. The uncaring way in which the residents respond to a woman who is clearly without means of survival is a clear result of prejudice. The manner in which Boori Ma is characterized in this short story emphasizes the differences between her and the rest of the residents, which provides the basis for this prejudice. Mrs. Sen is a character that shows immense loneliness and emotional exile. Like A Real Durwan, Mrs. Sen’s focuses on the idea of hanging onto the past at the expense of the present. Here, Mrs. Sen has much more control of her situation, and has ample means of survival, yet she finds herself constantly drawn back to memories and longings from the past. She has emigrated from India to the United States, but her passion and focus remains on the items and memories from her past. Items like recipes from home, a cutting knife and a collection of saris all remind her of the past that she has left behind, and she hangs onto those memories. The stories of her past, the memories she focuses on all emphasize the idea that she is dislocated, living somewhere she doesn’t belong. This can be emphasized by the fact that she has refused to learn to drive, considering it to be an aspect of the American culture, and as a consequence something she wants nothing to do with. While the people that she interacts with are kind and generous, attempting to help her to acclimate, she is not interested in having anything to do with American society or culture. One tradition that ties heavily into her past and her characterization is that of regularly visiting the fish market. However, even this is tainted by American culture, as she must rely on her husband to drive her there, as there is no other way for her to get to the market. In Mrs. Sen’s, A Real Durwan and Interpreter of Maladies the characterization main players strongly emphasizes themes that are prominent throughout the collection. In Interpreter of Maladies, characterization of Mrs. Das and Mr. Kapasi shows the strong clash between Indian and American culture. Boori Ma’s characterization shows the way in which prejudice can be prevalent even within people of the same culture, while Mrs. Sen’s character shows isolation and holding on to the past. All three of these themes are present in varying degrees throughout the nine short stories in the collection. It is the way that the people in the stories are characterized that brings these themes to life, making them important and relevant to the reader. Read More