An outsider is a person who does not belong to a particular organisation or profession. The winner of the Pulitzer Prize in the year 2000, ‘Interpreter of Maladies’, is a collection of nine short stories written by Jhumpa Lahiri in 1999 which explores the adaptation of both first and second generation Indian migrants moving to the United States. All nine stories have certain things in common regarding themes such as exile, displacement, loneliness and difficult relationships, in this Lahiri has created a fluent and coherent collection about love and adversity as one to be remembered.
Many of the issues of being an outsider are analysed in Lahiri’s stories some of which can be seen through relationships and affairs. In “A Temporary Matter” …show more content…
One of the short stories named “Mrs Sen’s” revolves around a 11 year old named Elliot of whom is cared for by Mrs Sen, a Bengali professor’s wife who is constantly reminiscing about her life back in India. The missing of her extended family and her chauffeur is seen through her frustration with learning how to drive and through Eliot’s point of view he identifies that “when Mrs. Sen said home, she meant India, not the apartment where she sat chopping vegetables.” Sticking to old habits such as buying only fresh fish, her knives collection, enjoyment from receiving mail from family etc. undoubtingly defines her obstinate attitude to remain an outsider in her life now in New England. As a result, Lahiri proves leaving and adapting to foreign cultures and traditions while trying to retain original cultural identity can be distressing especially for inexperienced …show more content…
Whether it be the relations between a married couple, immigrants who suffer from emotional isolation and cultural displacement, afflicted illnesses, they all have one thing in common and that is, the sense of feeling like an outcast. Lahiri has illustrated a universal story that relates to anyone who has ever felt the yearnings of displacement. Due to that reason, one can appreciate Interpreter of Maladies for its honest portrayals of human’s sacrifices and
Many of the issues of being an outsider are analysed in Lahiri’s stories some of which can be seen through relationships and affairs. In “A Temporary Matter” …show more content…
One of the short stories named “Mrs Sen’s” revolves around a 11 year old named Elliot of whom is cared for by Mrs Sen, a Bengali professor’s wife who is constantly reminiscing about her life back in India. The missing of her extended family and her chauffeur is seen through her frustration with learning how to drive and through Eliot’s point of view he identifies that “when Mrs. Sen said home, she meant India, not the apartment where she sat chopping vegetables.” Sticking to old habits such as buying only fresh fish, her knives collection, enjoyment from receiving mail from family etc. undoubtingly defines her obstinate attitude to remain an outsider in her life now in New England. As a result, Lahiri proves leaving and adapting to foreign cultures and traditions while trying to retain original cultural identity can be distressing especially for inexperienced …show more content…
Whether it be the relations between a married couple, immigrants who suffer from emotional isolation and cultural displacement, afflicted illnesses, they all have one thing in common and that is, the sense of feeling like an outcast. Lahiri has illustrated a universal story that relates to anyone who has ever felt the yearnings of displacement. Due to that reason, one can appreciate Interpreter of Maladies for its honest portrayals of human’s sacrifices and