Shailin Shah
Mr. Lally
Introduction to Literature II-018 You Can Not Have it Both Ways
A discussion of the inability to have multiple cultural identities in Jhumpa Lahiri’s Interpreter of Maladies
When people immigrate to new countries characterized by different lifestyles, they often attempt to retain ties with their cultural identities. Some accomplish this task by speaking in their native tongue to family members or others who speak the same language. Others keep in touch with their identity by eating food from their native country. However, some people may be drawn to the opportunity of assimilating into society, resulting in the struggle to find the optimal balance straddling two cultural identities. Frequently, people are unable to successfully belong …show more content…
In the short story, “Interpreter of Maladies”, Lahiri emphasises that Mr. Das, a man who is coming back to visit India, has forfeited his Indian identity while pursuing his American identity. In the opening of the short story, Lahiri immediately establishes that Mr. Das is American and Indian. Lahiri shows that he is Americanized when Lahiri states that Mr. Das squeezed hands like an American. Lahiri simply assigns an American trait to show that Mr.Das is American. Lahiri is able to effectively convey her message when Mr. Das states that he “thought that the Sun Temple is only eighteen miles north of Puri”, but Mr. Kapasi corrects him stating that it is “Actually it is a distance of fifty-two miles”( Lahiri 30). In Mr. Das’s estimate being almost three times off from the actual distance, Lahiri is able to illustrate Mr. Das as being disconnected from his Indian identity by him not being familiar with the land of India. Because Mr. Das has attempted to balance two cultural identities, he has lost his Indian identity
Mr. Lally
Introduction to Literature II-018 You Can Not Have it Both Ways
A discussion of the inability to have multiple cultural identities in Jhumpa Lahiri’s Interpreter of Maladies
When people immigrate to new countries characterized by different lifestyles, they often attempt to retain ties with their cultural identities. Some accomplish this task by speaking in their native tongue to family members or others who speak the same language. Others keep in touch with their identity by eating food from their native country. However, some people may be drawn to the opportunity of assimilating into society, resulting in the struggle to find the optimal balance straddling two cultural identities. Frequently, people are unable to successfully belong …show more content…
In the short story, “Interpreter of Maladies”, Lahiri emphasises that Mr. Das, a man who is coming back to visit India, has forfeited his Indian identity while pursuing his American identity. In the opening of the short story, Lahiri immediately establishes that Mr. Das is American and Indian. Lahiri shows that he is Americanized when Lahiri states that Mr. Das squeezed hands like an American. Lahiri simply assigns an American trait to show that Mr.Das is American. Lahiri is able to effectively convey her message when Mr. Das states that he “thought that the Sun Temple is only eighteen miles north of Puri”, but Mr. Kapasi corrects him stating that it is “Actually it is a distance of fifty-two miles”( Lahiri 30). In Mr. Das’s estimate being almost three times off from the actual distance, Lahiri is able to illustrate Mr. Das as being disconnected from his Indian identity by him not being familiar with the land of India. Because Mr. Das has attempted to balance two cultural identities, he has lost his Indian identity