Interpreter Of Maladies

Jhumpa Lahiri’s ‘Interpreter of Maladies, stories of Bengal, Boston and beyond’ caught my eye in a book store as the cover page boasted about it being the Pulitzer Winner in 2000. This book is a collection of 9 different stories of Indian people living abroad. Each story portrays a different picture of how these Indians who have been born and brought up in India with orthodox traditions and values, struggle to survive on a land several thousand miles away from their homeland. These stories tell us the maladies of the traditionally brought up Indians survive in America, which is completely a new, independent and unpredictable world. It is ‘maladies’ because, the stories bring out the difficulties faced by cultured Indians who are kind of confused when they encounter the new modern world. Being an Indian, you can easily connect with these characters in each of the nine stories. Be it Shobha’s decision to leave her husband, or Mr. Pirzada’s desperate attempt to locate his family during the post partition chaos or Mrs. Sen trying to adjust in the new American city and her nervous attempt to drive a car on the main road, or Mrs. Das’s secret extra marital affair; each story reveals a stinging truth. The truth is that many for many Indians who live in America are left confused about where their loyalty should lie. It proves the existence of the cross-culture conflicts.Jhumpa’s style of writing and flawless prose is remarkable. But it can’t beat the fact thaat the stories become a bit boring and progresses at a very slow pace. Though I could connect to all the stories, I could not understand what did the author try to say through the seventh story ’The Blessed House’. I feel it started off well I could not understand what the malady in it was, plus it ended abruptly. Overall the book is nice, especially the first four stories, but then it becomes dull and slow. Hats off to Jhumpa’s style of writing, exquisite language and phenomenal prose. But I still have my doubts about whether it was worth the Pulitzer!

Well with a Pulitzer Prize under its belt Lahiris tales are wonderfully written and engrossing. Most of the stories deal with Boston Bengalis but even the two tales written about native Indians are well written. All the stories are clear and concise and grapple with emotions which form the basis of everyday life. Loss, fear, suspicion,love, lust, detachment, patriotism and many such emotions are wonderfully delineated by the author so much so you can envisage the characters and the plot when you close your eyes.

Collection of 9 stories, each depicting a different pain, and it becomes difficult to tell that which pain was the most difficult to bear.

I read all 9 stories in 9 days, one on each day, so as to absorb each story fully one by one. The detailed description provided by Jhumpa takes you into the lives of the characters and enables you to feel the grief from within. My personal favorite is "A temporary Matter".

She truly is an Interpreter of Maladies!!!!

Certainly winner of Pulitzer Prize for her work, Lahiri has needled a number of emotions in a single garland of "Interpreter of Maladies". Each story is unique and original as a personal experience of writer or a thought of creativity. A good work to read to understand Lahiri's work of fiction.

Short stories are bound to keep you glued to book. I finished the book in one go. Simple language. Depiction is awesome. at times you are reminded od your good old days.I have bought it for my book collection. Good book to read and keep a copy for leisure time.