Dedicated to the study of literature.
1. What seems to be the author’s intention or purpose for writing the narrative? Try to think of several purposes and consider varying audiences in your response.
2. Describe the role of faith in the author’s ordeal or in the narrative as a whole.
2a. In general, what would a Puritan say about God and his providence in their everyday lives?
3. Describe the relationship between Mary and her captors.
4. Based on the reading, what do you think the characteristics of a “good” Puritan are?
5. How do you think Mary feels about her captivity by the end of it?
9 comments:
A Temporary Matter
The first short story in Interpreter of Maladies, by Jhumpa Lahiri, was A Temporary Matter. It was a very unique love story, unlike most other romantic stories I have read. My opinion of the story is that their relationship problems were solely developed on the death of their son. I feel as if Shoba decided she cannot continue a life with such a painful past. “It’s nobody’s fault, she continued.” They’d been through enough. When Shoba says this she expresses that because of their son being stillborn, she can’t continue with Shukumar. Instead of facing their problems, she is moving on to try and forget everything she went through. I also feel that Shoba started the ‘lights out game’ of telling each other something so that she could see if Shukumar had any deep confessions he wanted off his chest before she left him. “How about telling each other something we’ve never told before.” Shoba wants to learn if he’s hiding anything when she suggests this. In the end, however, I think their relationship will hold on, because they will discover that even the darkest of pasts can lead to a bright future as long as you believe it can!
When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine
When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine was an excellent story because it shows how one person can impact someone’s entire life, sometimes without even knowing it. I believe that there is someone in each and every one of our lives that has taught us a new way to think, love, or just taught us something important. The lesson they teach us will remain with us forever, as will the memories we had with them. Mr. Pirzada is the person who has drastically influenced young Lilia’s life. Without even knowing it, he taught her what it means to truly care about someone, and how it feels to miss those you love. “It was only then, raising my glass in his name, that I knew what it meant to miss someone who was so many miles and hours away…” By loving and missing his family, he taught Lilia how to miss someone she loves, which turned out to be him. He showed her the value of character is his unique dress attire and personality. Mr. Pirzada brought a different culture as well as a different way of living life to Lilia’s household. He also taught her how to pray without even realizing that he did so. “…although he now understood the meaning of the words ‘thank you’ they still were not adequate to express his gratitude.” While Mr. Pirzada taught Lilia a number of things, she also taught him a thing or two about kindness. Lilia didn’t realize how much Mr. Pirzada had taught her until he was gone and she had time to reflect on all her moments spent with him. Like all things in life, you do not realize how important something or someone is until you lose it. Even though Lilia will miss Mr. Pirzada, he has fulfilled his purpose in her life, and it was time for him to go home to the family he loves.
Interpreter of Maladies
Interpreter of Maladies is different from most of today’s traditional stories, because unlike almost every other story we read today, there is no happily ever after for all the characters. I enjoyed reading this story because it shows that you don’t always get dealt the cards that you hoped for. Throughout life you always encounter problems, and Interpreter of Maladies shows these problems in a more realistic way than the fictitious stories we usually read. Both Mrs. Das and Mr. Kapasi are unhappy with their current marital issues, and neither chooses to face it. I think that Mr. Kapasi is too scared to have a life outside of his normal life with his family, therefore he will not confront the fact that he no longer loves his wife. Also, I believe he seeks comfort from his day to day difficulties through fantasies, such as when he imagined writing letters to Mrs. Das. “She would write to him, asking about his days interpreting at the doctor’s office, and would respond eloquently…” It is through fantasies like this that he continues on his unhappy life. Mrs. Das, however, is completely pegged by Mr. Kapasi. “ Is it really pain you feel, Mrs. Das, or is it guilt?” She is not full of pain from dealing with her secret, but she is full of guilt. It is not that Mrs. Das cannot deal with keeping the secret; it is that she cannot deal with admitting she was dishonest and not loyal. Then, in the end, Mrs. Das decided to continue on with her secret, and Mr. Kapasi has to deal with not being close to Mrs. Das and remaining with his current family. I enjoyed reading this story because of the realistic portrayal of how life isn’t always perfect, and you do not always have a happy ending.
A Real Durwan
Boori Ma, in A Real Durwan, resembles the characteristics of the boy who cried wolf. “For years we have put up with your lies, you expect us, now, to believe you?” All the residents of the flat listened intently and responded to all her exaggerated stories, knowing very well they were lies. Then, when she did tell the truth, no one would believe her. Regardless of all her ‘lies’ I believe the people who kicked her out should have given her another chance. She acted as a real durwan all these years and helped them all. “…she honored the responsibility, and maintained a vigil no less punctilious than if she were the gate keeper of a house…” They didn’t appreciate all her work, and the first time she was questioned they got rid of her. While I can see their reasoning following all her lies, I think the residents were way too harsh. I feel sympathetic for Boori Ma because she only tried to do good for all the residents, then they turned on her!
Sexy
The fifth short story in Interpreter of Maladies, by Jhumpa Lahiri, was Sexy. This story was my favorite so far because it does an amazing job of expressing Miranda’s feelings, so much so that you actually feel her pain and confusion. Throughout the entire story I was pulling for Miranda to end up with Dev, but in the end she was right where she began. This story was able to show you an emotional love affair, as well as capture the difference of cultures in the world. “It was a scribble to her, but somewhere in the world, she realized with a shock, it meant something.” (Lahiri 97) When Miranda tried to write her name in Indian she realized there are cultures and people living different lives outside of her own, small portion of the world. I think that through this story, the writer was trying to express how deceitful and conniving human beings can be. I believe that Lahiri was attempting to show the dark side of humans, and how we all sin. “Somehow, without the wife there, it didn’t seem so wrong.” (Lahiri 88) Miranda and Dev were able to overlook the horribleness of their affair when Dev’s wife was gone, because not having her present made her seem less realistic. Together, they learned that even though something may seem like a great arrangement, if you are doing the wrong thing morally, it will never work out. I feel sympathy for Miranda because she deserves to have an amazing guy, but I also think that going into the affair she should have know she was the ‘other woman’ in his life, and couldn’t be the only woman.
Mrs. Sen’s
The short story Mrs. Sen’s, is a contemporary story that shows a young boy growing up into a man. At the beginning of the story, Eliot is very shy and gets lost in the shuffle of life. After staying with Mrs. Sen, he learns more about caring for someone, and that other people have issues of their own. Eliot is a very quiet boy who simply observes what is happening around him, rather than becoming part of what is going on. At the end of the story he has grown up and become more than just a childish boy. “’You’re a big boy now Eliot,’ she told him.” (Lahiri 135) Eliot’s mother now feels that he is not in need of a babysitter. I think that Eliot has been tossed from babysitter to babysitter for long enough, and he deserves to have his own freedom. Another important aspect of this story is Mrs. Sen’s troubles adjusting to a different culture. I can tell that she has good intentions and understands what she is trying to do, but at the same time, the difference from where she used to live to where she lives now is extremely drastic. Even though it is not directly stated I think that Mrs. Sen is very homesick, and does not like her new life, where Mr. Sen brought her. I think that Mrs. Sen is very lonely, staying in her apartment, alone except when Eliot is there. I do not think that Mr. and Mrs. Sen’s relationship is very strong since they left Mrs. Sen’s home. “Her lower eyelids were swollen into thin pink crests. ‘Tell me, Eliot. Is it too much to ask?’” (Lahiri 125) All she wants from Mr. Sen is some love, affection, and attention. I don’t feel that Mrs. Sen can ever be truly happy again unless she is back at home with her family, receiving constant love.
This Blessed House
The seventh short story in Interpreter of Maladies, by Jhumpa Lahiri, was This Blessed House. This story is a great example of today’s culture in comparison to how culture was years ago because it expresses the high percentage of failed marriages. Twinkle and Sanjeev are two completely different people who fell in love and got married before they got a chance to know one another very well. I feel terrible for both Twinkle and Sanjeev because they are both good people, who each want to make the other one happy. In the end while they are both loving people, they do not feel that loving affection towards one another. Now after being married, they are discovering how different they really are, and how their marriage may not work out. “He was getting nowhere with her, with this woman whom he had known for only four months and whom he had married, this woman with whom he now shared his life.” (Lahiri 146) Sanjeev and Twinkle get very frustrated with one another because they both want different things. The part of this story that I enjoy the most is the symbolism. All the Christian items that Twinkle keeps finding symbolize their marriage. Twinkle is trying her hardest to hold onto their love and continue on together, and Sanjeev is ready to throw it out the window. “You can’t throw away that statue. I won’t let you.” (Lahiri 149) Twinkle needs something to hold onto and cherish, and it doesn’t appear to be her love with Sanjeev. Therefore, she takes comfort in caring for the statues and paintings she finds, as a way of replacing, or momentarily distracting her, from her diminishing love with Sanjeev.
The Treatment of Bidi Haldar
This story, much like the others in this novel, contained the search for love. Bidi was abandoned by the only family that loved her, and she continued a search for a husband, so she could have someone that loved her. “Anticipation began to plague her with such ferocity that the thought of a husband, oh which all her hopes were pinned, threatened at times to send her into another attack.” (Lahiri 160) With the feeling of losing family, all Bidi wants is someone to care for her and love her regardless of the fact that she is very ill. I don’t think, however, that a husband is necessarily what Bidi needs. Throughout the entire story, her friends help her everyday and give her constant attention and care. I don’t think she realized it, but the affection she was looking for was right in front of her all along, through her friends and neighbors. “Apart from keeping her company, apart from soothing her woes, apart from keeping an occasional eye on her, there was little we could do to improve the situation.” (Lahiri 166) If Bidi would have just taken a closer look at her life, she would have realized she had more love than most people can dream of. She was finally cured because of the birth of her son. She was blinded by the undying love of her friends, but finally saw love in her son; therefore she was able to get over her illness. I think that her illness was caused by feeling that she was alone in the world. I also believe that her family never thought her disease was contagious. They blamed their baby’s illnesses on her so that they could leave her. They had cared for Bidi for so long that they decided they had done their time, so they abandoned her. Bidi deserved better than them because she was a good person, who was merely stuck in a bad situation, and should not be blamed for her sickness.
The Third and Final Continent
The ninth short story in Interpreter of Maladies, by Jhumpa Lahiri, was The Third and Final Continent. I was pleasantly surprised by this story because, unlike all the other stories in this book, it contained a happy ending. The story expresses the difficulties that immigrants to America must endure. Both Mala and her husband endured homesickness and troubles adapting to American culture. “Each of those nights, after applying cold cream and braiding her hair, which she tied up at the end with a black cotton string, she turned from me and wept; she missed her parents.” (Lahiri 181) The fact that they had an arranged marriage also didn’t help any matters. They didn’t know each other at all, and were far from in love. To go from living with your family for your entire life, to living with an almost complete stranger was very difficult for both spouses, particularly Mala. The person, who helped most through their transition, both to America and into marriage, was Mrs. Croft. “I like to think of that moment in Mrs. Croft’s parlor as the moment when the distance between Mala and me began to lessen.” (Lahiri 196) After visiting Mrs. Croft, they both realized some similarities they had, as far as a sense of humor. From there they slowly became closer and closer. I also believe that Mrs. Croft’s death brought them closer because Mala comforted her husband, as well as him somewhat helping her cope. Even though Mala didn’t know Mrs. Croft that well, I think she experienced the pain of her death along side her husband because Mrs. Croft was the individual who broke the ice between the couple. Even considering the loss, I think that the couple will become very happy and enjoy life in America. Slowly, they will develop a strong relationship and build a family together. They may have gotten off to a rocky start, but in the end I believe they are both strong enough to work through all the difficulties, with one another.
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