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Unit 9: Jhumpa Lahiri’s Interpreter of Maladies: Discussion on all Important Spheres of the Text Questions

own secrets and desires. Sanjeev doubts his love for his wife because of this disconnect. But, as is Notes
proved by the narrator of The Third and Final Continent, that distance can be closed by shared
experience. Marriage is not a solid institution but a fluid invention. Shukumar and Shoba are radically
altered by the death of their child, and the toll is taken on their marriage. They are no longer the same
people as when they met. Love is found in unexpected places and can shift in the wake of experience.
By reading Sexy from the point of view of a mistress, the reader also understands that each romantic
connection is a unique and personal affair. There are no absolutes or strict moralities.
Communication
Lahiri has stated that much of her writing is concerned with communication and its absence.
Miscommunication or unexpressed feelings weigh on several characters, destroying their well-being.
A Temporary Matter is the best example of secrecy taking its toll on a marriage. Shukumar and
Shoba, lost in their own grief, cease communicating with one another. Blackouts allow them the
freedom to share secrets they have never shared. They are unfailingly honest and can no longer
maintain the illusion that their marriage is still viable. Mrs. Das tries to unburden herself by telling
Mr. Kapasi the secret of Bobby’s conception. But only Mr. Das can absolve her of her guilt. At the end
of the story, nothing has changed in their marriage because she is not able to communicate her lack of
love for her family to anyone other than a stranger. Twinkle and Sanjeev have different outlooks on
life which cause initial discord between the newlyweds. Communication is necessary to healthy
relationships.
Parent/Child Relationships
As children grow older, the relationship between them and their parents shift, becoming either
adversarial or enriched with understanding. During the bulk of When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine the
narrator Lilia is 10 years old. She brings a childlike innocence to her relationship with Mr. Pirzada,
who she thinks is no different from her parents despite being a Pakistani. Lilia’s parents are frustrated
by her ignorance of current events in their homeland - the byproduct of her schooling in America.
There is a disconnect between parents and children, both across generational and cultural lines.
There is an unspoken truth between Eliot and his mother. Eliot is keenly aware of his mother’s sadness
and also of his powerlessness to help. Conversely, the narrator of The Third and Final Continent
takes care of his mother when she is ill. He is forced to assume the role of the adult in their relationship.
Rohin is also keenly aware of his mother’s pain and the situation that has caused the pain. Lilia,
Rohin, and Eliot all understand the grownups’ sorrows and offer high-level observations on the
nature of love and loss.
Religion and Tradition
Maintaining old traditions and customs while learning new ones is part of the assimilation process
for immigrants. Mr. Pirzada is puzzled by Halloween - the pumpkins, the costumes and the candy all
mystify him. In part, Mr. Pirzada worries enough over his daughters and the thought of Lilia freely
inviting danger is too much for him. Twinkle reassures Sanjeev that they are “good little Hindus”
despite her affection for discovered Christian iconography. Just because she is charmed by the statuettes
does not mean that she has forsaken the customs of her ancestors. Mrs. Sen, unwilling to settle in
America, obstinately upholds the patterns and routines of her life in Calcutta. Adopting new customs
is the mark of a successful transition into a new country. Mala’s effortless absorption of the American
customs preferred by her husband indicates that her assimilation will not be as painful as Mrs. Sen’s.
Partition
Partition as a historical event and as a metaphor is employed by Lahiri. Characters are divided against
others and also divided within themselves. Mr. Pirzada and Boori Ma are victims of Partition. Boori
Ma is a refugee who may or may not have lost her family and luxurious home in the forced exile of
Hindus and Muslims from each other’s territories. Her new life is in shambles and she lives on the
fringes of society. Boori Ma represents the disastrous effects of the events of 1947. Lilia’s reaction to
Mr. Pirzada is Lahiri’s critique of the skirmish between the two religions. She is unable to see any real
difference between Mr. Pirzada and her parents. Her naivete taps into an overarching humanism
that Partition erodes. Someone like Miranda, who is neither Indian nor Indian-American, is not immune

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