Anthony Tamasi
Interpreter of Maladies
The inner desires of Mr. Kapasi,
through whom the story is told, control the short story by Jhumpa Lahiri. Throughout
the story, Mr. Kapasi, tour guide for the Das family, is absolutely enthralled
with Mrs. Das, the mother. His thinking of her dominates the majority of the
story. His thoughts progress throughout the novel as they continue to consort,
from as a casual flirt, to entertaining the idea replacing his resentful wife
with Mrs. Das.
Kapasi begins to show interest
when Mrs. Das questions him on the nature of his job. “Tell us more about your
job…” (p. 438). As the story progresses, the level of flirtation and level of
detail he describes Mrs. Das does as well. Similarly, they become closer and
closer, more intimate in not only conversation but also physical closeness. By the
end of the short story, Mrs. Das is sitting right next to Mr. Kapasi, alone,
talking about her illegitimate child, an agreeably very intimate subject,
especially considering that Kapasi is the only one besides Mrs. Das who knows;
including her husband. As this is occurring, as the story moves along, the
husband becomes more and more distanced from the action, perhaps characterizing
one of the signs of a failing marriage. While Mr. Das is interacting at first,
by the end he has moved along with the kids, looking at different attractions in
the hills at Udayagiri and Khandagiri, when Mrs. Das and Kapasi have the intimate
conversation about her son Bobby.
Mr. Kapasi’s desire for Mrs. Das
stems from his job as an interpreter, which Mrs. Das believes is a very noble
profession. Showing characteristic signs of failing marriages, Kapasi informs
the reader about his wife and how she is unappreciative, demanding, and makes
him feel almost unworthy, describing his job as merely a “doctor’s assistant” (p.
440). Feeling unappreciated and lowly during his marriage, he is immediately
attracted to Mrs. Das even when she shows the slightest interest in his work,
as a guide and an “Interpreter of Maladies.” The two cases of dying marriages
seem to allow Mr. Kapasi and Mrs. Das to grow closer, as he picks up on the
signs of her marriage, and relates them to his own.
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