"Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri
In this short story, I was for the most part lost in the plot line. But after reading it a couple of times, I sort of understand the message. To me, the message was that there is something lost when two cultural identities inter mix. Mr. Kapasi and The Dases are two completely different entities of different cultures, different pasts, and different experiences. Yet the two try to co exist in one environment. Which proves to be unfruitful. I especially found that Mr. Kapasi was very wise in explaining to Mrs. Das how her lie to her husband about her illegitimate son was ruining her relationship with her family. Mr. Kapasi explained it to Mrs. Das that "Is it really pain you feel... or is it guilt?" (Lahiri). This spoke to me. How two emotions could be confused and manipulated to feel like the same thing. Perhaps the point of this reading was to express how there can be a loss of emotional identity when there is no truth, or true love. As abstract as that concept is, it made sense to me.
I think that this and all the other works in this unit express how identity is lost through our own actions. How we determine what traits and aspects of our lives can ruin what makes us each individual. This story especially, taught me that we lose a part of ourselves when ever we lie, or hide and alter what is important to our identity, much like in "Everyday Use".
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