Interpreter of Maladies Essay

Happy, fulfilled characters are impossible to find in ‘Interpreter of Maladies’. Do you agree? The book ‘The Interpreter of Maladies’, written by Jhumpa Lahiri, have a fascinating charm, which is related to the authors describing and story proceeding skills. The character development and their story, how it goes, and how it evokes the reader’s creativeness at the end is so highly amusing indeed. The most of the stories in the book ‘The Interpreter of Maladies’ ends in vapor; meaning that there is no significant conclusion given. Which means, that the readers cannot easily all agree on one single opinion, that the all the characters in the book ‘The Interpreter of Maladies’ are not happy and fulfilled. As the story ends in a vague pathway, there is a numerous possibility and possible story that can be continued for the readers. The story might end happy sad or even vaguely again in the readers mind, and by that we cannot come to a single agreement on how the characters will end up, and mostly people would not want a sad ending for the characters. For example, the story of Shukmar and Shoba, from the story titled ‘Temporary matter’, shows that the ending can be divided in to variety of opinions. Throughout the story, the death of newly born baby, which is the cause of the crack in their relationship, and both of them avoiding each other, significantly showing the loss of communication and constant misunderstanding, indicates that Shukmar and Shoba will most likely break up with each other. Also, especially as Shoba directly states that she is planning to move out: a significant indication of their, Shoba and Shukumar’s, relation will break. However, as it seems most likely that this wed will break up, there is a significant amount of signs that indicates that their relation will continue throughout. For example, the conversation they were able to have in the dark room shows that, even though they have been trying to avoid each other as much as possible they can still communicate and understand each other in given circumstances. Also, after his confession on the baby’s gender and appearance, Shukmar gazes out to the street, warm evening with couples in arm to ar m, giving a hint that Shoba and Shukmar will be like that again. Also, Shukmar and Shoba weeping together, because they now know the things they did not, in the dark room at the end of the story shows that as they now understand each other they will be able to get along with each other. However, the interpretation of this story depends on personal perspective and opinion, but as it stands, as there is varying opinions, one cannot conclude that the characters in this book of stories are never fulfilled and happy. Another story that also illustrates that we cannot simply conclude that all the characters in this short story book cannot be fulfilled or achieves happiness is a story called ‘Mrs. Sens’. This story is about a Mrs Sen, an Indian woman who came to, still very too foreign, America. She is young and caring woman who can cook and care for children. However, although she is mature in some ways, she is also immature in some other ways. Throughout the story readers can easily conclude that Mrs Sen is not able to, and does not try to adapt to the American culture. All she do is complain and compare between her own country, India. Although this kind of behavior is acceptable for someone who is living out of their own country, but considering she is an adult this kind of behavior is very immature. Throughout the story readers can easily see that the Mrs. Sen is alienated from the country called America, her questions to Eliot, â€Å"if I scream here, will anybody come running† significantly show that she cannot understand the American culture. Also, her refusing to learn how to drive, and merely stating that ‘this is too much’ is a showing that she cannot adapt or even tries not to adapt to the American culture; driving skills indicates the basic understanding of American culture, as it is treated as bolts and nuts for grown adults. However, even though she cannot adapt to the American culture and i s alienated there is a slight indication, or an event, that her condition might improve. At the end of the story Mrs Sen, attempts to drive for her own fulfillment but ends up in a car accident. The happening shocks her greatly in mental status. Although the ending can be interpreted as Mrs. Sen’s final break down and a consequence of her continuous refusal to accept the American culture, it can also be interpreted as her improvement in the future, as people learn from their mistakes. So, readers can have their own opinions, and which means that one cannot specifically conclude that the characters in the book ‘Interpreter or Maladies’ cannot achieve fulfillment. Also, the story named ‘The Third and Final Continent’ clearly and significantly shows that the character does not end up without any fulfillment and happiness. Mala is a female Indian, and a wife of the narrator, an Indian man. She is a very skilled woman in terms of housing; she can cook wel l, clean well, and does everything well. However, she does have a natural complex; her skin color is very dark. Because of this complex of hers she was unaccepted as a woman in her country, which means her life was almost alienated in her own country.