Interpreter of Maladies Analysis Summary

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Interpreter of Maladies
Introduction
The Interpreter of Maladies is a narration told by a subjective narrator. The short story by Jhumpa Lahiri is critical to shedding light on the common mistakes of family bonding. The playwright uses the Das family to address significant themes common in Indian society. The story begins on a conflict note, as Mr. Das and Mrs. Das argue over a responsibility, which involves accompanying their daughter to the washroom after a stop. Next, the car door opens with (Lahiri 47). Das choosing to take the responsibility, where she does not care to hold her daughter’s hand, displaying minimal intimacy between parent and child. Using these close observations, Jhumpa Lahiri manages to communicate themes that include knowledge and fantasy, culture and identity, language and communication, guilt and responsibility.
Lahiri’s text presents a conflict in the Das family that starts at the novel's chapters' onset. The novel's central conflict is the lack of proper communication and loveless family life for the Das family. Communications remain a challenge for the Das family, as Mr. Das has lost his love for his wife. Further, the two (Husband and Wife) fail to secure their marriage, leading to sleepless nights. The playwright is critical to hint the kind of relationship that they enjoy between the Das family members (Lahiri 50). Mr. Das has his nose buried in a guidebook while Mrs. Das hides in her sunglasses with the hope that other family members may not interfere with her. The poor communication leads to a conflict in the Das family as the children do not listen to their parents, as evident by their lack of understanding or concentration to Mr. Kapasi’s story about the monkeys. The conflict in the novel does not end, as Jhumpa Lahiri is critical to use language to explore this theme. Accordingly, the novel delivers the message that language is a tool for communication and understanding to be embraced by families.
The element of cultural differences is significant in Interpreter of Maladies. The main characters in the novel are from India, which is their native country. The Das family shares a particular cultural heritage with Mr. Kapasi through their experiences of the world varies. The playwright is critical to communicate this message to the reader, adding that though the characters come from India, all of them were born and raised in the United States. Mr. Kapasi does not share the same experience as Das since he has lived and worked in India. Thus, the novel uses this piece of information to communicate the challenge of culture clash. For the Das family, America is their home and the source of their heritage and culture. Mr. Kapasi, who now serves as the tour guide, has to remain objective of India and sail in the same culture that acts as his main tradition. Culture is therefore essential in the novel, as it reveals that the world understanding and response from ind...