PUB # 3

 

John Exarhos                 

Professor Brady 

English 102

29 April 2024

Pub # 3 Postmodernism in " Interpreter of Maladies" 

The Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumba Lahiri shows many complexities of the contempt of life through post-modernism of various areas such as narratives from the characters Mr. Kapsi and Mrs Das. The author likes to use postmodernism ideas within cultures to show their flaws and unquies within their traditions. Jhumpa also shows the struggles of immigrants and couples to show some different ways of post-modernism of the Interpreter of Maladies. In this story various variations of postmodernism in particular their struggle with their relationship and other various human connections. This story betrays the example of postmodernism of struggling and problematic relationships by using t to prove how difficult it is.

 

Mr. Kaspi had various struggles, especially with Mrs Das and her actions towards her. Based on the story it is shown through the story that they both struggled showing how difficult relationships are in a postmodern way. Like how a person once saw their lover as attractive and perfect to then thinking they are not their lover anymore just as someone less than a lover. This story shows through postmodernism how relationships cause struggle and how problems they create. For example when the story says “ It disturbed Mr. Kapasi to learn that she thought of him as a parent”(Lahiri 27). This quote portrays how in the story they described through a strategy of postmodernism how Mr Kapasi and Mrs Das's relationship has changed because she views him as a parent, not a lover. In the story, Mr. Kapasi and Mrs. Das go from a professional relationship to an intimate to not again which shows the post-modernism of the struggle for the two of them because they do not have a definitive relationship throughout the story and causes mixed emotions for mr Kapasi because of how the relationship isn't real it's just in his head. By that occurring brings confusion and struggle for the readers to interpret what their relationship truly is.

Mr. Kapasi was not the only one who experienced the way of postmodernism of struggle and problem. Mrs. Das was also subjected to struggle and problematic scenarios.  She was the one who was starting the struggles and being problematic. The reason that is she does not respect her husband throughout this story. For example when the author says “ . 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”(Lahiri 19 ). This quote explains how she was on the tour with her husband and started being problematic by making flirtatious comments toward Mr. Kapasi. This quote also shows how Mrs. Das does not care about how her husband is struggling with the fact that she is making moves with another man how she lost feelings for him and also how she did not care that she was flirting with another man in front of her husband.  Mrs Das in the quote is what causes the constant theme of postmodernism which is struggle and problematic cause she breaks her relationship with her husband to make him struggle then later in the story does the same thing to Mr. Kapasi with his feelings for her.

In the real world this theme of postmodernism acts of struggle and problems is not the only case in this story they are explained and shown in different ways for instance songs. One in particular that is one of many that explains a similar situation like this story is “ Somebody That I Used to Know” by Gotye featuring Kimbra. The reason this song is related to this story is because it talks about the struggle of betrayal from a relationship. For example where the story and this song are similar when the song says “Well, you said that we would still be friends”( Gotye verse 2). This line from the song shows how in the relationship the person saw them differently like when  Mrs. Das saw Mr. Kapasi as a parent, This quote also shows the struggle that the receiver of that comment because of how their feelings being hurt caused a problem effect on them and their future.

The story Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri betrays the postmodernism method of struggle and problematic by two complicated and struggling relationships between Mrs. Das and Mr Das and Mr. Kapasi and Mrs Das. Whereas Mrs Das is problematic towards her husband and with Mr Kapasi. Leaving both men to struggle with their feelings towards her. Also the song “Somebody That I Used to Know” betrays similarities by having problematic situations and struggles people in relationships. Both the story and song betray the post-modern principle of struggle and problems with relationships and how much impact it has on people.

Work Cited 

“Gotye (Ft. Kimbra) – Somebody That I Used to Know.” Genius, genius.com/Gotye-somebody-that-i-used-to-know-lyrics. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024. 

Interpreter of Maladies, iblit2013.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/lahiri-interpreter-of-maladies-full-text.pdf. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024. 

Interpreter of Maladies, 

https://iblit2013.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/lahiri-interpreter-of-maladies-full-text.pdf