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

typhoid. Mr. Kapasi lives in a loveless, arranged marriage and no longer sees himself as a potential Notes
object of interest for women. He entertains fantasies about Mrs. Das but is ultimately horrified by her
confession of infidelity and self-absorption.
Shukumar
Shoba’s husband in A Temporary Matter. An academic, Shukumar has been avoiding both his dissertation
and his wife since the loss of their child. He and Shoba share secrets in the dark during what will become
the last week of their marriage. The memory of holding his stillborn son is the final confession.
Shoba
Shukumar’s wife in A Temporary Matter. She is distant from her husband after the loss of their child.
She suggests they play a game of sharing secrets during systematic blackouts, which culminates in
her confession that she is moving out of their house.
The Bradfords

Friendly neighbors to Shukumar and Shoba
Gillian
Shoba’s friend who drove her to the hospital when she went into premature labor.
Mr. Pirzada
A Pakistani botanist studying in New England during the breakout of the Indo-Pakistan War in 1971.
He watches the news over dinner each night at Lilia’s house, looking for news of his family.
Mr. Pirzada is generous with Lilia, doting on her because he is unable to speak to his own daughters.
He is curious about American customs and Lilia tries to teach him about her culture.
Lilia
The narrator of When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine. Lilia is ten years old during in 1971, when the story
takes place. She is a first generation American of Indian descent. Through the visits of Mr. Pirzada,
she learns about the plight of Pakistan, the history of India’s violent independence experienced by
her parents, and the war between the formerly united countries. From the safety of her home, she
worries about Mr. Pirzada’s daughters. When he returns, she learns what it is to miss someone who
lives across the world.
Lilia’s Mother

Lilia’s mother is proud that her daughter was born and will be raised in America. She encourages
American traditions while maintaining the traditions of her own upbringing in Calcutta.
Lilia’s Father
Lilia’s father encourages his daughter to learn about India, as it appears she is only taught American
history in school. He wants his daughter to know about the world of her parents’ upbringing.
Dora
Lilia’s American friend. They trick-or-treat together in 1971.
Mrs. Kenyon
Lilia’s teacher who chastises her for reading a book about Pakistan.
Mr. Kapasi
The tour guide in Interpreter of Maladies who also works for a doctor, translating the symptoms of
Gujurati patients. Mr. Kapasi dreamed of being an interpreter for diplomats, but he settled for a
mundane career after an unhappy marriage and the death of a son. He takes an Indian-American
family to see the Sun Temple of Konark and becomes entranced by the wife, Mrs. Das. They share a
dissatisfaction with their respective marriages. She confides in him, but he ultimately cannot absolve
her of her guilt.

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