PUBLISHED WRITING #3

 Johann James Zachariah 

Professor J. Mignano Brady 

Literature for the Soul 

30 April 2023 

PUB #3 – Postmodernism in “Interpreter of Maladies”  

 

In “Interpreter of Maladies” by Jhumpa Lahiri, the Das family is taking a tour in India guided by Mr. Kapasi and it’s a story of what happens in their journey, how life unfolds in the eye of the interpreter, Mr. Kapasi, and how human flaw and condition is shown. Postmodernism is how you interpret the world individually and not as a group who supports one idea over the other. Mr. Kapasi is the observer who interprets the story for the audience through his perspective and how he finds the flaws, troubles, differences and purpose for relationships.  

 

Mr. Kapasi had been an observer of the Das family throughout the entire story, and he makes out a point for each person who had been traveling with him, his way of observing was the rearview mirror of the car, you could even say as it was his eyes, but it only pointed to one person, Mrs. Das. Ever since the conversation that Mr. Kapasi and Mrs. Das had flustered Mr. Kapasi, making him feel a growing attraction towards her. For example, the author says, “... it flattered Mr. Kapasi that Mrs. Das was so intrigued by his job. Unlike his wife, she had reminded him of its intellectual challenges. She had also used the word “romantic.” She did not behave in a romantic way toward her husband, and yet she had used the word to describe him. Her sudden interest in him, an interest she did not express in either her husband or her children, was mildly intoxicating. When Mr. Kapasi thought once again about how she had said "romantic," the feeling of intoxication grew” (Lahiri 19). This shows how Mr. Kapasi lacked the attention of affection in his life and how Mrs. Das herself was showing an interest that she did not even show to her family. Because of this Mr. Kapasi kept on observing Mrs. Das in an attractive and intriguing way. Mr. Kapasi even started dreaming of their conversations they would have when he gave his address to her so he could receive the picture they had taken together. In “Interpreter of Maladies” by Lahiri, the author states about the little dream he had he in his mind when he exchanged the address, he hoped to make Mrs. Das laugh out loud through his story in the letter, sharing each other’s personal stories and pictures and growing as friends (Lahiri 20). 

 

Though Mr. Kapasi had been to the temple countless times, it occurred to him, as he, too, gazed at the topless women, that he had never seen his own wife fully naked. Even when they had made love she kept the panels of her blouse hooked together, the string of her petticoat knotted around her waist. He had never admired the backs of his wife’s legs the way he now admired those of Mrs. Das, walking as if for his benefit alone. He had, of course, seen plenty of bare limbs before, belonging to the American and European ladies who took his tours. But Mrs. Das was different. Unlike the other women, who had an interest only in the temple, and kept their noses buried in a guidebook, or their eyes behind the lens of a camera, Mrs. Das had taken an interest in him” (Lahiri 22). We now see how the lack of sexual attraction and lack of affection had pulled Mr. Kapasi to Mrs. Das. Mrs. Das however was not attracted to Mr. Kapasi, she found Mr. Kapasi as an intriguing person who could understand her because of his interpreting job as she was seeking comfort from her pain and guilt that she had been carrying (Lahiri 27). Mrs. Das felt as how she lost her youth by accompanying Mr. Das in college limited her circle of social life and how marriage and bearing a child with Mr. Das at such a young age had overwhelmed her. Then later she had slept with one of her husband’s friends leading to her giving birth to Bobby and how painful it had been for her to carry that secret for eight long years without telling anyone including the biological father of Bobby. Mr. Kapasi had been deceived by his own thoughts that he had observed. Throughout the story Mr. Kapasi had been interpreting everyone rationally but after hearing the word “romantic” by Mrs. Das his interpreting were clouded by intoxication thoughts he had of Mrs. Das which was later made clear when Mrs. Das said, “"For God’s sake, stop calling me Mrs. Das. I’m twenty-eight. You probably have children my age." "Not quite." It disturbed Mr. Kapasi to learn that she thought of him as a parent” (Lahiri 26-27). After having a clear mind because of the comment that Mrs. Das made, he asked after understanding everything, “Is it really pain you feel, Mrs. Das, or is it guilt?" (Lahiri 28). A question that was asked by the interpreter that Mrs. Das couldn't answer, a question that made her go after the family whom she had been ignoring.  

 

Mrs. Das thought of her actions as painful while to Mr. Kapasi a question of whether it’s pain or guilt? Having to face an idea or opinion that could put you on the wrong side can make a person to go onto the defense trying to prove themselves and others that their view or idea is the right one. The silence that Mrs. Das gave for Mr. Kapasi’s question is an answer in itself but here it made Mrs. Das question herself and not stand by her own views.  Mrs. Das fell for the temptation of lust because her life was boring, she wasn’t having fun or enjoying herself, she wanted a way out of that boredom, and she clung on to that enjoyment which was only for a moment but the consequences that could last for her whole life. Humans are not perfect, but it doesn’t give them the right to use it as an excuse, being strong and accepting your own choices and mistakes makes you better but still far from a perfect human.