Saurabh Mishra
Man-Woman Relationships: A Bicultural Syntax In The Short Stories Of Jhumpa Lahiri
Literature is a medium through which the essence of living is made paramount by linking it to experiences of life. Literature reflects not only the social reality but also shapes the complex ways in which men and women organize themselves, their interpersonal relationships and their perception of the socio-cultural reality. The attitude of the writer towards men and women of his times is portrayed by him in his work through characters created by him and the gender relationship they share at various grades and times. The process of examination covers the entire gamut of human experience, the most significant being the man-woman relationship.
Indian novelists have dealt with family relationship with high seriousness because the traditional heritage of India gives great importance to the family unit. This family unit in India, during the last decades, has been under a process of social change, thus substantially affecting the major component man-woman relationship. This social change is marked in Indian society both at home and abroad at large; it has reached out to the core of these relations and by this interaction has brought a significant change in the structure and various relationships in family unit. There has been conspicuous change in spheres of roles and values from the point of view of recent changes in socio-economic conditions, which have also influenced patriarchal attitudes and set ups towards gender relations. This has led the creative writers both in India and abroad to re-define the husband-wife equation.
The age-old institutions of family and marriage have experienced tremendous strain in modern times. The new definition of marriage postulates complete sexual freedom, with no notion of marital fidelity. Economic security for wife seems to be the cornerstone of marriage in contemporary times, which appears more like a contract than a living or vibrant emotional relationship. The man-woman relationship has thus reached a transition in accordance with the cultural influence of the west, especially among the diasporic community which stands torn asunder by the traditional values imbibed mainly from the west.
Memories of irrevocable past amidst modern humiliations, anguish, loneliness and disappointments are emblematic regales of a confused migrant’s illustrations. Hectic raunchy lifestyle manifests confusion which is haunted by hyphenated individual selves engaged in a quest for denouement of curious mixtures, thereby struck in a dead space. The works of Jhumpa Lahiri are handy in expressing the new aspects of Man-Woman relations in the contemporary perspective. The collections of short fiction frame the gender relations in cross-cultural milieu, with appropriate situational weave of pattern, bracketing the real life human emotions, bringing them to life.
A Temporary Matter, the first story of Jhumpa Lahiri’s Interpreter of Maladies, is a delineation of marital alienation between Shoba and Shukumar. The story focuses upon the man-woman relationship in context of bond of marriage, prime issue being the barrenness which has crept into the lives of the husband and wife – “... he thought of how he and Shoba had become experts at avoiding each other in their three-bedroom house, spending as much time on separate floors as possible.” (4) Both of them living as – “Two individuals trapped within themselves, refusing to communicate.” (Nityanandam 34) The discord and discomfort has been growing between the two since the death of their new born baby – “when he returned to Boston it was over. The baby had been born dead. Shoba was lying on a bed, asleep, in a private room ...” (3) Demise of the child had impacted greatly on the mind of Shoba, a sudden change was visible in her lifestyle and relationship with Shukumar – “... how long it had been since she looked into his eyes and smiled, or whispered his name on those rare occasion they still reached for each other's bodies sleeping.” (5)
Lahiri has with appropriate effect been able to convey the existing uneven situation in relationship of Shoba and Shukumar, with the portrayal of negligence which has developed in their actions and attitude in cooking, after her miscarriage. Before the incident the kitchen was stocked and well used up – “... the pantry was always stocked with extra bottles of olive and corn oil, depending on whether they were cooking Italian or Indian. There were endless boxes of pasta in all shapes and colors, zippered sacks of basmati rice, whole sides of lambs and goats from Muslim butchers at Haymarket, chopped up and frozen in endless plastic bags.” (6) Here as expressed by Dr. Asha Choubey – “Shoba's inclination to cook good food and to keep her kitchen in good shape is proportionate to and concomitant with her pleasure in marital life.” (2) Earlier Shoba had been a meticulous cook, good at entertaining guests, and friends which would drop in – “when friends dropped by, Shoba would throw together meals that appeared to have taken half a day to prepare, from things she had frozen and bottled ... peppers she had marinated herself with rosemary, and chutneys that she cooked on Sundays, stirring boiling pots of tomatoes and prunes. Her labeled mason jars lined the shelves of the kitchen, in endless sealed pyramids, enough they'd agreed, to last for their grandchildren to taste.” (7)
Hope is always the force which powers the survival instinct in characters of Lahiri and their relationships. The endangered relationship of Shoba and Shukumar receives a supply of such a hope, when a notice informs the couple that for a few days there would be an electric cut in the evening – “The notice informed them that it was a temporary matter : for five days their electricity would be cut off for one hour, beginning at eight P.M.” (1) Food, its preparation and consumption plays a bigger role in the episode, for it offers an opportunity to the couple to come close to each other compulsorily. The one hour load shedding was the much needed intimate time, which was desperately required by their relationship to replenish itself – “Tonight, with no lights, they would have to eat together. For months now they'd served themselves from the stove, and he'd taken his plate into his study, letting the meal grow cold on his desk before shoving it into his mouth without pause, while Shoba took her plate to the living room and watched game shows, or proof read files with her arsenal of coloured pencils at hand.” (8)
The aloofness in the interpersonal relations had reached a height perturbing their lives – “They weren't like this before, Now he had to struggle to say something that interested her, something that made her look up from her plate, or from her proofreading files. Eventually he gave up trying to amuse her. He learned not to mind the silences.” (9) The difficulty in survival of their relation is again supported by a very apt looking metaphor by Lahiri, while looking for the candles Shukumar could only get hold of some birthday ones. To support these candles he found a potted ivy with soil, - “He looked now for something to put the birthday candles in and settled on the soil of a potted ivy that normally sat on the windowsill over the sink. Even though the plant was inches from the tap, the soil was so dry that he had to water it first before the candles would stand straight.” (10) This description is a clear reflection of what is presently going on between the couple, they are both living close to each other in the same apartment. But now the water of understanding and love is no more there to support the productivity of the soil of their relationship. This barrenness/stiffness is coincident with the "dead son", born to Shoba and Shukumar. The matrimonial love which prospered between the two is now lost. They are so close and yet so far.
Power cuts enable the two to come close to each other – “The crisis in the life of Shoba and Shukumar that simmered in the form of lack of love and faith in their interpersonal relationship and Shoba’s efforts for isolated living came out through confession. But then these confessions proved a bliss in disguise – a bliss that cleared their hearts and brought them together once again.” (Mishra 121) Candle lit dinner and the intimacy invented through sharing of incidents work as fill ups. The careful preparations made by Shukumar for the dinner and the proposal set up by Shoba to say something – “I remember during the power failures at my grandmother's house, we all had to say something,” (12) and “Let's do that,” “Say something to each other in the dark,” (13) are clear indications of the hope and will which is deep rooted in the two. Contrast to this is, however, also offered, almost eventually, when Shoba says – “How about telling each other something we've never told before.” (13) The sentence suggests the amount of difficult darkness which has appeared in between the two and hence even to resolve the barrenness, they require to begin it from the root i.e. the darkness, as is portrayed and supported by Lahiri pushing in power cuts. Moreover there is another aspect to this darkness as it – “nonetheless, signifies the strong undercurrent of subconscious desire for love unconditioned by ego or will.” (Jha 71)
Sharing of things which have been secret till now, retained by the two to themselves, even when their relationship was flourishing, is also an utmost effort by the husband and wife to launch an all out effort to fill up any fissure which might hamper their marital status. Moreover by coming out with their innermost secrets, withheld till now, both are expressing an outward show of reconciliation in the hope of actual remedy. Lahiri has build up the study of man-woman relations with remarkable deftness. She has, unlike other authors, relied upon even the small details which enhance to cramp the gyre of comfort which a relationship encompasses. Lahiri has earlier in the story narrated about how the two had started to avoid/neglect each other, now after the power cut sessions, the scenario has changed a lot – “Shukumar was surprised to see that Shoba was stacking her plate on top of his, and then carrying them over to the sink. He had assumed she would retreat to the living room.” (14) It is now more of the combined effort which is being relived by the couple further while standing near the sink – “They stood side by side at the sink, their reflections fitting together in a mirror. He couldn't recall the last time they'd been photographed,” (15) there is also given a confirmation of their coming to terms with each other – “Something happened when the house was dark. They were able to talk to each other again.” (19)
Healing process attains all the wings towards the end of the story. On the third and fourth night after supper Shoba and Shukumar are found sharing back the intimacies of the matrimonial alliance – “The third night after supper they'd sat together on the sofa, and once it was dark he began kissing her awkwardly on her forehead and her face, and though it was dark he closed his eyes, and knew that she did, too,” (19) and “The fourth night they walked carefully upstairs to bed, feeling together for the final step with their feet before the landing, and making love with a desperation they had forgotten. She wept without sound, and whispered his name, and traced his eyebrows with her finger in the dark.” (19) The readers are taken in for a surprise when Shoba announces her departure, and it carried the same weight of seriousness as was her disclosure about her pregnancy earlier.
The construction of this last scene explains the real truth between Shoba and Shukumar. Shoba's daring disclosure is made with sincerity but with unwillingness – “She would not look at him, but he stared at her. It was obvious that she'd rehearsed the lines.” (21) For the last four days, Shoba has been trying to tell him the same truth, but she could not hold up now. This is followed by Shukumar’s disclosure of another difficult fact, which he has also held up till now from Shoba. It was pertaining to their dead child and the sex of the child – “Our baby was a boy,” “His skin was more red than brown. He had black hair on his head. He weighed almost five pounds. His fingers were curled shut, just like yours in the night.” (22) All the talks ultimately come back to the cause of barrenness in their relationship - their dead born child. It was the pain which the couple were unable to relate with each other, due to the pressures of the modern day requirements and the ensuing lack of time, for once the two got to the root. The things are worked out – “Shukumar stood up and stacked his plate on top of hers. He carried the plates to the sink, but instead of running the tap he looked out of the window. Outside the evening was still warm, and the Bradfords were walking arm in arm. As he watched the couple the room went dark, and he spun around. Shoba had turned the lights off. She came back to the table and sat down, and after a moment Shukumar joined her.” (22) The elements introduced here like the warm evening, Bradfords walking arm in arm, again denoting closeness and warmth are clue to the possibility and will to imbibe the same in their personal relations. While the turning off of the lights by Shoba and sitting at the table indicate the conducent environment for long lasting warmth, as the two have witnessed on the third and fourth night. The last sentence – “They wept together, for the things they now knew,” (24) demonstrates their acceptance of each other, as – “the couple are able to bridge their chasm of silence.” (Nityanandam 35)
Through this story Lahiri has been able to depict the maladies of modern day immigrant couple, crushed under the pressure of a tragedy and mounting crunch of time. The fissures of alienation and separation are carefully examined, lending the appropriate fill ups. The twist and human touch induced in the story adds the real life colour to it. Utilising the classical theory of ‘Sringaara’, providing to both of them – “numerous objective correlatives in the joy of union, the pain of separation and the trauma of conflict, or rejection.” (Nayak 181) In a nutshell Lahiri has very well constructed and read the matrimonial world of Shoba and Shukumar, proving an ideal interpreter of their maladies.
Strolling on further with the man-woman relations which decry a need for belonging and commitment, Sexy is a wonderful story from the collection 'Interpreter of Maladies', by Jhumpa Lahiri. It is a story about two people Dev and Miranda. Dev is an immigrant from the state of Bengal, India, while Miranda is a native of United States of America. Dev is an investment banker, whose wife has left for India for a few weeks. It is in anticipation of his wife's absence that Dev develops an intimacy with Miranda. Their relationship has an unequal share of commitment and needs. While Dev is into this affair searching for a partner, perhaps trying to identify himself with the new American culture, very much like any other migrant does, on the other hand Miranda is seen to have a deeper attachment, inspite of being very well aware of Dev's marital status.
In many new ways, Dev is seen to be attracting and fascinating Miranda's attention and emotion, as nobody till now has been able to attract since her high school days – “Dev - was the first always to pay for things, and hold doors open, and reach across a table in a restaurant to kiss her hand. He was the first to bring her a bouquet of flowers so immense she'd had to split it up into all six of her drinking glasses, and first to whisper her name again and again when they make love.” (89) Jhumpa Lahiri through her invention of so many firsts has developed the psychological impact which is being made on Miranda's mind, narrating very clearly as to why she wants to be in this relationship which is groundless.
The story line has been given a precipitation of havoc which such relationships cause in the lives of people, for – “The couple have no real story of their own, except for the exterior paraphernalia of love and the crude shadow of passion.” (Monti 90) The very starting lines introduce the readers to the turbulence caused in the life of Laxmi's cousin, by one such relationship which the cousin's husband has been off late into. Miranda is in view of this whole episode, yet she is found to be following up her similar relation with Dev, who is also a married man. Lahiri has thus given the true to life incidents a chance in this story, because many a times it is quite evident to people that the things they are doing are meaningless, yet they carry on with them, as it promises temporary but immediate content to their selves. Miranda is also identified as one such character, her relationship with Dev is more to do with the present content than any future botherations as it highlights the present situation of western social life which – “has almost become sex-centered, in which genuine love and friendship have been largely usurped by sex.” (Mathur 261)
Lahiri gives a superb turn to the story, when she links again the life of Laxmi's cousin with Miranda. Rohin, the precious nephew of Laxmi, is offered to be looked after by Miranda. It is here that Miranda gets the reality of things to gape at her. Rohin asks Miranda to put on a silky cocktail dress, which she has brought keeping Dev in her mind. Rohin's remark on Miranda after wearing the dress – “You're Sexy”, (107) made Miranda shocked – “her heart skipped a beat.” (107) For this word meant something special to her, she could very well remember Dev – “She remembered the day in the Mappaium, standing across the bridge from Dev,” (107) standing on a transport bridge thirty feet apart, Dev whispered – “she watched his lips forming the words; at the same time she heard these clearly that she felt them under her skin, under her winter coat, so near and full of warmth that she felt herself go hot.” (91) for Dev said – “You're Sexy.” (91)
Coming out of her precious memories, Miranda questioned Rohin – “Tell me something,” “what does it mean?”. “That word. Sexy. What does it mean?”. (107) After much of a struggle not to reveal the secret of the word, Rohin declares – “It means loving someone you don't know,” (107) These words of Rohin reached down deep into the heart of Miranda – “Miranda felt Rohin's words under her skin, the same way she'd felt Dev's.” (107) But these words made her 'numb'. For she could now remind herself of Madhuri Dixit's photo, whom Dev's wife resembled, which 'was beautiful'. Rohin's further declaration –“That's what my father did... He sat next to someone he didn't know, someone sexy, and now he loves her instead of my mother,” (108) makes Miranda have her final close of reality, which bites her deep within. Moreover she encounters sentimental shock, by the realisation of the fact that the word ‘Sexy’ was marginalised to her physical form only – “The iterated articulation of the word “Sexy” confirms the reduced identity of the woman: she is just a body to be viewed and to be used.” (Monti 92) Futility of affair strikes her notion, for she now realises – “Love does not mean to be sexy. It rather means being in each other’s thoughts.” (Mukherjee 283) This gets confirmed further in the story, when Dev could not stand her test to remember, what she thought must have been said with the whole of heart into it - Miranda “Do you remember what you said?, Dev”, “Lets's go back to your place”, (109) Miranda, decides to shed off this meaningless attire, which is not equally reciprocated, for even her supposed immediate emotional fulfillment had gone for a myth and nothing more. Lahiri's portrayal of Miranda and Dev's relationship, is identifiable with many more in process in reality, she has reached to the core of the issue, being a true interpreter.
Similar to the above discussed story is a creation by Jhumpa Lahiri, which is the title story of her collection – ‘Interpreter of Maladies’. Here Lahiri has tried to evaluate the man-woman relationship and its worthlessness in absence of affections and commitment, through the eyes of an interpreter viz. Mr. Kapasi, a tourist guide. It holds similar angle as does the above discussed story, introducing a third person who has his own vision and set of rules to understand the relationship. In the case of this story, it extends to evaluate and participate in such a relationship. Mr. and Mrs. Das are introduced as migrant couple, who are now back home along with their kids, on a tour visit to the city of Puri. Mr. Kapasi is taken up by them as their tour guide. There is an important strange sort of intimacy, between Mr. Kapasi’s and Mrs. Das’ matrimonial lives. The author is seen to utilise this factor to elucidate the shades of the life which Mrs. Das is living and her relationship with Mr. Das.
Mr. Kapasi's part-time job as an interpreter at the doctor’s clinic – “I have another job during the week ... I am not a doctor. I work with one. As an interpreter,” (50) is taken up as a specialised tool by Lahiri to draw out the complexities of life which seem so simple and relaxed under the veil of pretence. The nearness and the very uncommon type of association between Mrs. Das and Mr. Kapasi is also helpful to bring out a colour from the many ranges of man-woman relations. The first instance is most striking to observe – “... it flattered Mr. Kapasi that Mrs. Das was so intrigued by his job. Unlike his wife, she had reminded him of its intellectual challenges.” (53) Lahiri has worked up nicely with the situation, she has carefully choosen out the weakest point of Mr. Kapasi viz. his part-time profession as an interpreter. Incidentally, it is the thing which separates Mr. & Mrs. Kapasi with a gap. While working upon Mrs. Das’s side, she had made her utter the word “romantic” regarding the profession of Mr. Kapasi, which made him think – “She has also used the word 'romantic'. She did not behave in a romantic way towards her husband, and yet she had used the word to describe him. He wondered if Mr. and Mrs. Das were a bad match, just as he and his wife were.” (51)
Thus the two characters are isolated from the rest of the people in the traveling group, making them at first to share an intellectual intimacy, preparing a ground for some further action. Also it is important to observe here that Mr. Kapasi has begun with his evaluation of things about
Mr. and Mrs. Das – “Perhaps they, too, had little in common apart from three children and a decade of their lives. The signs he recognised from his own marriage were there - the flickering, the indifference, the protracted silences.” (53) Hence, Mr. Kapasi is not only expressing the relationship of Mr. and Mrs. Das at an unsatisfactory level of performance, but side by side, he admits his own relationship to be facing the same helm of affairs. It is worth to consider here the time that they have been together is no less, it is fair enough to owe a commitment and credibility for each other, especially when both the pairs were legally married and had kids. Thus in a man-woman relationship – “Living together is not sufficient, the feeling of togetherness is as necessary.” (Pawar, Patil 209)
While developing upon a new approach to the situation, Lahiri does not forget to bank upon the very basic theme of extramarital wishes. Mr. Kapasi is seen to interest himself with the idea of capturing the attention of Mrs. Das, as could not be gathered up by her husband and children – ‘her sudden interest in him, an interest she did not express in either her husband or her children, was mildly intoxicating. When Mr. Kapasi thought once again about how she had said 'romantic', the feeling of intoxication grew.” (53) All this is further enhanced by Mr. Kapasi's interest creeping to the body of Mrs. Das – “From time to time he glanced through the mirror at Mrs. Das. In addition to glancing at her face he glanced at the strawberry between her breasts, and the golden brown hollow in her throat.” (53) On reaching the Konark Sun Temple also Mr. Kapasi is seen to compare and admire Mrs. Das to his wife – “He had never admired the backs of his wife's legs the way he now admired those of Mrs. Das, walking as if for his benefit alone,” and “... so much so that he had an overwhelming urge to wrap his arms around her, to freeze with her ...” (58)
The story takes a U-turn, when Mrs. Das discloses to Mr. Kapasi, that Bobby is not Mr. Das’ son – “He's not his. I beg your pardon?. Raj's. He's not Raj's Son.” (62) Her casual attitude towards such a serious affair of things is reflected in disclosure of fact to Mr. Kapasi – “The lady takes her adulterous relationship with another man so lightly that she casually reveals this fact for the first time to a stranger like Mr. Kapasi in a far-off land.” (Mathur 259) Mr. Kapasi could feel a trickle under his skin, as if he couldn't believe of what was said by Mrs. Das to him. His quizzed appearance could easily be gathered up by Mrs. Das – “Are you surprised?”. (62) The level of intimacy which was seen being developed between the two of them is now utilised to bring out the fact about Bobby and also to show how rapidly things can change in real life. Lahiri makes the story more real to life when we find Mrs. Das narrating the whole life story of hers with her husband to Mr. Kapasi. At the end of it when Mr. Kapasi raised a question – “I beg your pardon, Mrs. Das, but why have you told me this information?”. (62) Mrs. Das replied – “for God's sake, stop calling me Mrs. Das. I'm twenty eight. You probably have children of my age.” (64) This comes out as a real shock to Kapasi, who has till now thought of this lady as the object of friendship or even to the extent of some more intimate relation. Her disclosure made him fall on back foot – “It disturbed Mr. Kapasi to learn that she thought of him as a parent. The feeling he had towards her, that had made him check his reflection in the rear view mirror as they drove, evaporated a little.” (65)
The clash of identification of relation between the man-woman is delineated superbly by Lahiri. While Mr. Kapasi looked at Mrs. Das as a woman in comparison to his wife, Mrs. Das had entirely different notion for him, comparing herself with the children of Mr. Kapasi. This episode is representation of some unnamed and unexplained intimacies between two people which might have entirely different perspectives for the two of them, to be into the relationship. For Mr. Kapasi intimacy to Mrs. Das was like seeking what he could never had in his wife, but always desired for. While for Mrs. Das, it was seeking something, which she could have only from an elderly person, like her parent. It was her pain which she wished to share with Mr. Kapasi as a child does to his parents. For Mr. Kapasi possessed expertise to interpret the pain of people – “I told you because of your talents.” (65) She was in pain for eight years – “Don't you see?. For eight years I haven't been able to express this to anybody, not to friends, certainly not to Raj. He doesn't even suspect it.” (65) Her questioning Mr. Kapasi in a demanding tone – “... I would never have told you otherwise. Don't you realise what it means for me to tell you?”. (65) Is an expression of her earlier notion of taking Mr. Kapasi to be equivalent to her parent. Thus her demand for soothing is same as a child does to his parents. Mr. Kapasi's reaction was normal, concerned, but accurate, for the interpreter was seen at the best of his job, asking Mrs. Das – “Is it really pain you feel, Mrs. Das, or is it guilt?”. (66) As an interpreter Mr. Kapasi’s role has been perfect for – “In answering the woman, the perplexed interpreter substitutes the full responsibility of the diagnostic for the uncommitting neutrality of the translator.” (Monti 87) The use of the word guilt pronounces the gravity of the mistake on oriental front, which was hardly visible in the word pain. Moreover, the betrayal of a wife is convicted by the use of word guilt. The interpreter has done justice to his job, for may be not in detail, but he has been able to strike right at the heart of the matter.
Twinkle and Sanjeev of The Blessed House in Interpreter of Maladies, are a newly married immigrant couple. Sanjeev is married to Twinkle, a 27 year old girl, he is an ambitious corporate Vice-President. The story speaks about their new house. The discovery of Christian relics in abundance inside the house is the issue of discontent between the two. While Sanjeev hardly has any concern and respect for them, Twinkle is seen to be delighted by their presence in the house. Sanjeev fails to understand Twinkle's obsession with these religious objects. Twinkle was a student of literature, wanted to treasure the objects, while Sanjeev could only hate them and disapprove their presence.
Main stress of the story line is to portray how different likings could create gaps in relations. The story differentiates between liking which is limited to appraisal and liking which is obsession. The Christian relics are the objects of marital distances caused between the newly married couple – “We're not Christian”, Sanjeev said. Lately he had begun noticing the need to state the obvious to Twinkle.” (137) Twinkle's interest in the left over religious objects, made it difficult for her to observe the disliking of Sanjeev for them, for she could only agree upon getting them out of his sight, but they could still have a place in her study – “Now look. I will tolerate, for now, your biblical menagerie in the living room. But I refuse to have this ...”, (139) “Twinkle stared at him placidly exhaling the smoke emerging in two thin blue streams from her nostrils. She rolled up the poster slowly... I'm going to put it in my study”, she informed him. “That way you don't have to look at it.” (139)
Apart from the big issue Lahiri has mixed the heel episode as an appetizer which boosts the idea of the story. Sanjeev possessed an average height, which could not go along with Twinkle, when she wore heels – “He was of average height as well, and had wished ever since he had stopped growing that he were just an inch. For this reason it irritated him when Twinkle insisted on wearing high heels, as she had done the other night when they ate dinner in Manhattan.” (140) This generalises the idea that the couple were having many different little things which were creating a gap in their relationship. In a nutshell their mutual behaviour can be best described as – “None of them surrenders. Both stretch the matter as much as they can. The matters are very trivial but the tension they built is very tiresome. It often seems that this tender thread may be cut.” (Pawar, Patil 211) The same idea was carried on to the party, where Twinkle is seen to enjoy the party with guests moving in the house, enjoying the party and game of searching for relics in any nook and corner of the house. It was like a 'treasure hunt' for them.
The last part of the story describes the discovery of “a solid silver bust of Christ.” (156) Twinkle had found it and wished to display it at the mantle, knowing well that Sanjeev hated it – “Would you mind terribly if we displayed it on the mantel? Just for tonight? I know you hate it.” He did hate it ... Most of all he hated it because he knew that Twinkle loved it.” (156) Sanjeev knew it that Twinkle really loved to possess such an object. For when Twinkle promised – “I'll keep it in my study,” he knows “she would never put it in her study ...she would keep it on the center of the mantel.” (157) Yet he agrees to please her, accommodating her wish. The last words – “... and followed her,” (157) speak about the importance of Sanjeev's polite and considerate attitude towards Twinkle. It is this key factor which manages their relationship due to the indifference between two of them.
Lahiri's characters are more mature immigrants who are faced with more mature set of problems like - estrangements over child loss in case of Shobha and Shukumar, assimilative discord in matrimonial world of Sanjeev and Twinkle, relationship polentification in case of Mr. Kapasi and Mrs. Das, but she also takes care to put apart from all these expressions, the old theme of rootless relations - as in between Dev and Miranda. Lahiri has excelled in her art of portraying the actual state of affairs with a full variety of contexts and colours real to immigrant life.
WORKS CITED
Jha, Pashupati and T. Ravichandran. Bicultural Ethos and Conflicting Claims in Interpreter of Maladies. Jhumpa Lahiri : The Master Storyteller A Critical Response to Interpreter of Maladies ed.
Suman Bala. New Delhi : Khosla Publishing House, 2002.
Lahiri, Jhumpa. Interpreter of Maladies, New Delhi : Harper Collins Publishers India, 2001.
Mathur, O.P. Meaningful Whispers : The Short Stories of Jhumpa Lahiri. Jhumpa Lahiri : The Master Story teller A Critical Response to Interpreter of Maladies ed. Suman Bala. New Delhi : Khosla Publishing House, 2002.
Mishra, Jyoti. Crisis in Human Values as Reflected in Interpreter of Maladies. Jhumpa Lahiri: The Master Story teller A Critical Response to Interpreter of Maladies ed. Suman Bala. New Delhi : Khosla Publishing House, 2002.
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Nayak, Bhagabat. The Native and Acquired Selves of the Tormented Souls in the Fictional World of Jhumpa Lahiri. Jhumpa Lahiri : The Master Story teller A Critical Response to Interpreter of Maladies ed. Suman Bala. New Delhi : Khosla Publishing House, 2002.
Nityanandam, Indira. Broken Indentities : A Comparative Study of Bharati Mukherjee’s Darkness and Jhumpa Lahiri’s Interpreter of Maladies. Jhumpa Lahiri : The Master Story teller A Critical Response to Interpreter of Maladies ed. Suman Bala. New Delhi : Khosla Publishing House, 2002.
Pawar, Kishan H. and Savita A. Patil. Human Relationships in Interpreter of Maladies. Jhumpa Lahiri : The Master Story teller A Critical Response to Interpreter of Maladies ed. Suman Bala. New Delhi : Khosla Publishing House, 2002.