Jhumpa Lahiri

Losing yourself to society In the novel Bread Givers and the collection of short stories Interpreter of Maladies the overarching theme of immigration is explored through assimilation, identity and Americanization. The ideas that the two texts explore are conveyed through the language and character in both stories. In Bread Givers and Interpreter of Maladies, immigration forces assimilation and Americanization upon immigrants, which alters their true identity. In the two texts, assimilation…

tradition and familial expectation. The story of a man and his family, of his life and hopes, loves and sorrows. Covering around 30 years… the novel manages to represent, without patronizing, life within the confines of a professional expatriate enclave. Lahiri is at her best when mapping these confines, and the conflicts between individual’s pursuits and family loyalties…The namesake is a quietly moving tale that explores the somewhat fashionable themes of racial and cultural identity…in…

How would a person feel and act if they had to pick up their belongings and move to a different country as an undocumented immigrant? These are three different stories with three different main characters, that are all going through or have gone through exactly that. The three following stories: “The Trip”, a fictional story by Laila Lalami, “Exile”, a poem written by Julia Alvarez, and finally “Outlaw: my Life as an Undocumented immigrant” by Jose Antonio Vargas all have three main characters…

Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake follows the story of a rebellious Bengali boy named Gogol who struggles to find his own identity. While searching for a new identity, Gogol sacrifices his former self and conforms to the beliefs of those around him, causing him to become disconnected from his family and his Bengali roots. The choices that Gogol makes, such as his decisions to change his name, push away from his family, and disconnect himself from his culture, establish the themes of identity, family,…

Many people feel so comfortable with themselves that they are not ready to make such a big change, but others feel they need to branch out and try new things. In the story “Two Ways to Belong in America”, two sisters, Bharati and Mira, move from Calcutta, India to Detroit, Michigan in America. Mira does not want to change and assimilate to the American culture and become a citizen. Bharati on the other hand, wants to see what it’s like being an American and becomes a U.S. citizen. The story…

Love is Tricky Love is hard. Giving your heart and soul to someone isn’t easy. In the short story, “A Temporary Matter” by Jhumpa Lahiri, a man and a woman discover just how easily love can break. This story was especially dismal for me as a child of divorce, but also as someone in a loving committed relationship. As I read Lahiri’s short story, I found everything I fear in marriage. The first is the idea of physical separation. Throughout the story, Shoba and Shunkumar both find…

and the healing process that followed.. Hara Estroff Marano exhibits how people derive strength from the onerous periods of their life, as well as how someone’s parents do not dictate who they will become. “The Third and Final Continent”, by Jhumpa Lahiri, depicts how people endure unpleasant changes within their lives, to eventually find happiness and success. What is more, these…

The cast of characters present in the novel The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri all contribute to the development of the story each in their own unique way. Alongside their contribution to the storyline, complex characters had to change and mature over time for the story to progress. It’s evident that this includes Ashoke as he’s a character who undergoes character development. Unfortunately, it’s often difficult for readers to realize the evolution of Ashoke’s character since it’s overshadowed by…

The short story “Mrs. Sen’s”, which is a part of the “Interpreter of Maladies” by Jhumpa Lahiri, portrays a woman’s failure to accept the culture she is being submersed into since she is still holding on to her past, putting a toll on her new chapter of life. Mrs. Sen is a house wife, who is married to her husband, Mr. Sen, who is professor at a university. Mrs. Sen and Eliot, the eleven year old boy she babysits, are a lot alike because of their detachment from society and lack of power to…

are often formed by superior’s judgment of the person. The short stories, “Mrs. Sen’s”, “The Rules of the Game”, and “Two Kinds” all display the theme of our identity being shaped by those who have authority. To begin, the story “Mrs. Sen’s” by Jhumpa Lahiri has characters who are impacted by their guardian. Eliot is a quiet boy who does not speak up much due to his lack of effective parenting growing up. The story states, “...before he was looked after by a university student named Abby… before…