Analysis Of Interpreter Of Maladies By Jhumpa Lahiri

Jhumpa Lahiri's Interpreter of Maladies is filled with comparisons and various motifs that could instigate the interests of the reader. The diversity of the mother-child relation shown in the symbolic portrayals of motherhood that Lahiri seems to grant more than the most basic critique is admittedly one of the more curious ones. Lahiri does not seem to prefer or priviledge any of the representations, be it American or Indian, but she certainly creates a clear image that the two characters, Mrs. Das and Mrs. Kapasi, make as mothers. There is less detail about Mrs. Kapasi and her realtions with her children, but the first time that Lahiri mentions her, she is shown as a caring mother whose son died. Lahiri writes that “in the end the boy had

Das seems very immature, be it in her relations with her children or her personality and behaviour. The story begins with the scene where “At the tea stall Mr. and Mrs. Das bickered about who should take Tina to the toilet. Eventually Mrs. Das relented when Mr. Das pointed out that he had given the girl her bath the night before (12).” Neither Mrs Das nor Mr Das seem like caring competent parent. Later through the eyes of Mr. Kapasi both of them are described as “an older brother and sister, not parents. It seemed that they were in charge of the children only for the day; it was hard to believe they were regularly responsible for anything other than themselves (16).” There is a very prominent lack of motherly feelings between Mrs. Das and her children. She acts more like an uniterested teenage sibling than a composed, mature mother. What is quite shocking is the way that Mrs. Das interacts with her daughter. She does not take her daughter's hand when they are walking in a place where a little girl could get lost, she seems more interested in herself than anyone else, “Mrs. Das said nothing to stop her. She sat a bit slonched at one end of the back seat, not offering her puffed rice to anyone (15),” which shows that she is rather self-centered if not egoistical. Not much later, at her daughter's request to paint her nails too, Mrs, Das responds “leave me alone. […] You're making me mess up (16),” which is not a proper way to a child, be it her own or