1. Compare and contrast at least three of the many marital relationships Lahiri refers to in the first four short stories in her book.
What do you notice? What qualities do the relationships share? What distinguishes them from each other? In light of your comparison, in one sentence (two at the most), state what you think Lahiri is revealing about marriage through her short stories.
2.Why do you think Lahiri names the second story "When Mr. Pirzada
Came to Dine" instead of "Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine." Make an arugment defending your viewpoint please. Explain.
3.Is the monkey episode necessary to the story "Interpreter of Maladies"? If so, why? If not, why not? Is there anything the episode teaches or adds that is significant and/or necessary? What would the story be lacking without it?
4.Why is Boori Ma not a "real durwan" according to the story by the same name? Explain.
5. What is the central insight of the story "A Real Durwan"? If you were Lahiri, and someone asked you why you wrote this story, what would you say? What is the purpose of this story? How can we connect to this story today? Explain.
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ReplyDeletequestion 2
ReplyDeleteThe use of the word when in the title of this short story helps to indicate that there wasn't just one time when Mr. Pirzada came to dine, but a significant period of time in which he came. I also think that identifying his visits as a period of time shows that his visits were accompanied by change. Lilia says that there are many different Indian people that her parents have invited for dinner in the past but the story is about Mr. Pirzada specifically because the man, an East Pakistani that constantly worried for his family at home in the midst of war, and his pain caused Lilia to become more mature, and to start to wonder about the world around her, outside of America. It's also significant that Lilia ate one of the precious treats he gave her every night for a length of time. This shows that she defined the time that she felt he was a part of their lives, from the time when he wasn't. When he began to visit, she didn't feel comfortable with him, and didn't eat the chocolates because she was so in awe of them and him, however the time when she began to eat them in prayer for his family marks the time she started to accept him as a fixture in her house. When she stopped eating them, she and her parents had just received a letter from him in East Pakistan, safe and happy with his wife and seven daughters, and it was that night that she began to miss him, which to me means that in her mind, until that night, he might have still come to her house for dinner and the news. She missed him because she finally realized she wouldn't be seeing him again, the time when he was a part of her family's life was over.
Question 2
ReplyDeleteI think that Lahirir named the story “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine” instead of "Mr. Pirzada Came To Dine" because part of the theme of the story I felt was (other than Americans disinterest in foreign affairs) what it means to truly miss somebody. The “When” implies that the time that Mr. Prizada came to dine was a moment in the little girls life that held some type of significance, and most importantly that it was in the past and cannot be repeated. The “When” connotates a feeling of nostalgia/memory. I agree with Danielle D about how “This shows that she defined the time that she felt he was a part of their lives, from the time when he wasn't." Mr. Prizada became almost a permanent member in the household and no one time defined the impact that he had on the family. The time he was there was different than the time that he was not – the mood of the family changed and they set into motion the series of events such as watching the news and deliberating the events on tv that occurred only when he was there. It is very true in this case that we do not know what we have until it is gone- Lilia didn't discover how much she felt connected to him and missed him, even when he was back with his daughters. Titling it "When" he came to dine feels more personal to the speaker as well, like Lila is talking directly to us so that we know there is some type of important message to be had from the story.
Lahiri named the chapter "When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine" instead of "Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine," because Mr. Pirzada's presence made such an impact on her life. Mr. Pirzada was a mystery Lilia. Every night she saw this man's fear as he watched the news hoping not to find out that his family died. Lilia knew that Mr. Pirzada feared the worst; however, he tried to act strong. Mr. Pirzada also made Lilia feel special by always remembering her and bringing her candy every night. Mr. Pirzada's presence taught her to understand human emotions and the love of a family. Lilia was use to seeing Mr. Pirzada every night, and once he stopped coming it made her upset, because she missed seeing him every night for dinner. She was happy he reunited with his family, but she missed him. Mr. Pirzada wasn't just a family friend who came for dinner to socialize. Lilia's parents supported Mr. Pirzada every night as he watched the war on the television. Lilia was able to learn how friendships form and how friends support each other during rough times. The experience of Mr. Pirzada was a memorable time in Lilia's life.
ReplyDelete2nd question for extra credit
Lahiri refers to many marital relationships in the first few chapters. The marriage of Shoba and Shukumar was a marriage that was initially happy and loving. However, after their baby died their marriage fell apart. Shoba was a career woman and very independent, she was the stereo-typical homemaker. The marriage of Lilia's parents is different than Shoba's and Shukumar's marriages, because Lilia's mother was not a career woman, and she was a homemaker. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Das contrasts from Shoba and Shukumar's marriage in terms of their children. Shoba and Shukumar were happy to bring a child into the world. They had a room decorated for their unborn baby "She would look around the walls of the room, which they had decorated together last summer with a boarder of marching ducks and rabbits playing trumpets and drums"(8). Mr. and Mrs. Das argued about whose turn it was to take their daughter to the bathroom "Eventually Mrs. Das relented when Mr. Das pointed out that he had given the girl her bath the night before" (43). Mr. Das referred to his wife by her first name to their daughter, which isn't a loving gesture. The Das family wasn't a loving family. Shoba and Shukumar were very loving in the beginning of their marriage, and Mr. and Mrs. Das didn't show affection toward each other. Lilia's mother scolded her husband " 'How can you possibly expect her to know about the Partition? Put those nuts away' "(27). All three marriages had troubles and they all argued. Even though Shoba and Shukumar were deeply in love they too argued at the end of their marriage.
Question 1
ReplyDeleteJhumpa Lahiri focuses on several couples’ marital relationships in the first four short stories. I began to notice a trend after the first three stories in which each of the marriages appeared to, in some way, be tainted by a lack of communication between husband and wife. The marriages that Lahiri portrays in her stories typically involve husbands and wives who appear to have lost sight of their relationship with their significant other in the mix of life and all of its chaos. In Lahiri’s short story, “A Temporary Matter,” Shoba and Shukumar seem to only be acting the part of husband and wife as they attempt to carry on with life after the loss of their child. Although they live under the same roof and exist side by side, they are not as emotionally invested in their relationship as they once had been. Shukumar often reminisces about the earlier days of their relationship, “It felt good to remember her as she was then, how bold yet nervous she’d been when they first met, how hopeful.” (15) Mr. and Mrs. Das in Lahiri’s short story, “Interpreter of Maladies,” also seem to have let their relationship fall to the wayside. On their family’s trip, Mr. and Mrs. Das are indifferent to not only their children, but each other, as well. Similar to Shukumar, Mrs. Das recollects the earlier years of her relationship with her husband as she shares intimate secrets with Mr. Kapasi, “Back then we couldn’t stand the thought of being separated, not for a day, not for a minute.” (63) Both Shoba and Shukumar and Mr. and Mrs. Das conceal secrets from each other in their marriages. Shukumar doesn’t reveal his knowledge of the sex of their dead child until Shoba tells him that she is moving out. Mrs. Das continues to keep her extramarital affair and the identity of Bobby’s real father a secret as Mr. Das raises all three of their children, utterly unaware. Also, the martial relationships depicted throughout the book all appear strained because of a lack of fulfillment and love within each relationship. For example, as they sit in darkness, Shoba opens up to Shukumar in an attempt to express her need for communication with her husband. Likewise, Mr. Kapasi feels unappreciated by his wife’s disinterest in his career as a translator so he longs for the fulfillment he feels when he notices Mrs. Das refers to his profession as “romantic.” “For this reason it flattered Mr. Kapasi… unlike his wife, she had reminded him of its intellectual challenges.” (53) The marriages can be distinguished from one another because of the circumstances leading to the discontent within each of the relationships, and the manner in which each couple decides to handle their unhappiness. Shoba and Shukumar bring light to their issues and make the decision to live separately, whereas, Mr. and Mrs. Das and Mr. and Mrs. Kapasi decide to carry on in their marriages, unsatisfied and unfulfilled.
I believe that, through her short stories, Lahiri is revealing that marriages that are not built upon a concrete foundation of love, communication, and mutual respect will fall apart with the progression of time. I feel she is saying that although it is important to attempt to “interpret” the language of love in each individual marriage, some barriers remain too high for a couple to overcome.
Sarah Case
ReplyDeleteQuestion 4
Boori Ma is a foreigner to the country in which the story takes place. She tells of how she was rich and experienced comforts that the natives could not dream of. Boori Ma was able to make it to Calcutta, and it was there that she found the job as a durwan. The word durwan means doorkeeper. The book indicates that Boori Ma was not a traditional durwan because she was female in the following quote “In short over the years, Boori Ma’s services came to resemble those of a real durwan. Though under normal circumstances this was no job for a woman”. The people in the building trusted her to watch the building and protect their belongings. As Boori Ma grew older and her landlords became distracted, so did she. This lead to everything they had being lost including her life savings and her skeleton keys. When the members of the building choose Boori Ma as a scapegoat the look toward the wise man who lived in the building Mr. Chatterjee. Mr. Chatterjee explains “Boori Ma’s mouth is full of ashes. But that is nothing new. What is new is the face of this building. What a building like this needs is a real durwan”. The title of the story is A Real Durwan to point out that this hard working woman didn’t fit the criteria of a real durwan, yet she did. What the story has to offer is to take pride in the material things that we have now, and the bonds with each other. The author wants to warn the reader of the dangers of getting wrapped up in material things, in this story basins and special treats such as cashews and sugar cane juice.
Question 1
ReplyDeleteThe relationships between husbands and wives in the short stories within Interpreter of Maladies are very complex; however, there are similarities between them. To start off, in A Temporary Matter, the relationship between Shoba and Shukumar is weakened due to the death of their child. This incident pulled them apart, causing them to be very distant physically and emotionally. Neither of them face the problem until the “game” is invented when the electricity is turned off. At this point, communication starts again between Shoba and Shukumar. I believe Shoba is the one that falls out of love with Shukumar. Shukumar feels very insecure in his relationship. Shukumar feels as if Shoba might be having an affair, he worries that she does not respect him because he is a 35 year old student, and he fears Shoba blames him for being in Baltimore when their child was born like Shoba’s mother did (Lahiri 16). So many worries are going through Shukumar’s mind; however, these problems stay bottled up inside for a very long time. Shoba is not happy, and she wants to get her own apartment. She waited a very long time to admit this to Shukumar. This couple ignored their problems for a long time; however, eventually the truth came out.
In the Interpreter of Maladies story, Mr. and Mrs. Das also have a lack of communication within their relationship. Mrs. Das has a secret that she keeps inside. While reading this chapter, I could not believe the way Mrs. Das treated her husband and kids. Mr. Kapasi believed that “Mr. and Mrs. Das behaved like an older brother and sister, not parents” (Lahiri 49). I agree with Nicole’s comment where she explains that Shukumar is similar to Mr. Das because they both wish they could bring the past back to them. They miss the way their wives once were. They wish they could have those feelings again; they wish they could be happy again. There are secrets hidden inside of Shoba, Shukumar, and Mrs. Das. Mrs. Das’s secret could jeopardize her relationship with her husband. I see a similarity between Mrs. Das and Shoba. They both have secrets inside; however, they both have difficulty communicating with their partner. Shoba uses a game to admit to her husband she wants to move out, and Mrs. Das confides in a complete stranger. She admits to Mr. Kapasi that Bobby is not Mr. Das’s son. I was shocked that Mrs. Das would tell a complete stranger something so personal. I wonder if Shoba also told someone else her secret before she admitted it to Shukumar. The text does not let the reader know whether she did or not, but maybe she spoke to Gillian about her idea of moving out before confronting Shukumar.
Mr. Kapasi also has problems with his wife. Mr. Kapasi feels that his job is not important. I believe he feels insecure about his accomplishments in life like Shukumar. Mr. Kapasi was flattered when Mrs. Das was interested in his career because “unlike his wife, she had reminded him of its intellectual challenges (Lahiri 53). Like Shukumar and Shoba, Mr. and Mrs. Kapasi also lost their child. The death of their child most likely pulled Mrs. and Mrs. Kapasi apart also. I believe that Mr. Kapasi uses his job as a way to get away from the problems of his marriage. He gives tours only on the weekends, and describes his weekend job as an award (Lahiri 50). This reminds me of Shoba. Shoba uses her job as an escape from Shukumar also. She would go home from work and work. When dinner was ready, “Shoba took her plate to the living room and watched game shows, or proofread files with her arsenal of colored pencils at hand” (Lahiri 8).
In conclusion, there are many similarities between the relationships in Interpreter of Maladies. I believe that Jhumpa Lahiri is revealing how complex relationships are; many couples face problems and hardships which can destroy their relationships I believe that Lahiri is also trying to reveal how important communication is in within marriages.
Question 3:
ReplyDeleteThe monkey episode is absolutely necessary in the short story “Interpreter of Maladies”. I believe that Bobby was attacked by the monkey to teach the Das family a lesson. Instead of Raj and Mina arguing and bickering, like we see throughout the short story, the monkey incident teaches them that they should come together as a family. It seems as if Mina and Raj are concerned only for themselves. This attitude is being learned by the children. An example of this is when Bobby separates from the group. Raj takes no notice of this because he is too busy looking through his book and sightseeing. If Mina got out of the car and went sightseeing with her family instead of being selfish and staying back to talk to Mr. Kapasi this incident probably would have never happened. The monkey incident taught Mina that she should be thankful for Bobby, even though he is not Raj’s son. Mina expressed that she felt terrible for having an affair and Bobby was the proof that tormented her every day. This incident proved that he was an important part of the family. She realized how much she cared about the boy. The family needs to appreciate each other because the future is unknown.
I believe the story is entitled "When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine" because it holds a much more personal meaning than a man who simply comes to dine. His story is one of struggle and triumph, and the feeling of being displaced. He comes to America in hopes of writing his book, and Lilia hears of his stories and doesn't see him as anything but a man who misses his family, despite the family's being of different background. She sees a bit of her family, I believe, in him, and he awakens a sort of curiosity about his predicament in her. She doesn't see any differences in him to her own life and family, and gains a new found understanding for the emotional value of 'missing' someone. She sees him as another human being just like her. He leaves a strong impression on her, and she even begins missing him, the same way he missed his family. In essence, their emotions become one, and perhaps she sees that emotions have no real face nor skin - emotions are emotions, and when they both felt the same emotion, they were one, if only for that moment. This is why I believe it was titled "WHEN Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine."
ReplyDelete3.The episode involving the monkey in the “Interpreter of Maladies” was a very necessary piece to supply the reader with a clear understanding of the family Dynamics. From the start of the story it is clear to the reader that Mr. and Mrs. Das are not on the same page as each other. Mrs. Das has no interest in her children or her husband instead she is concern only with herself. She is not honest with her husband and her son Bobby is not Mr. Das’s son. Mr. Das is unaware that he is not his son and loves him as he loves his other two children. This is clear when Bobby goes missing and once they find him being acttacted by the monkey through Mr. Das’ actions. He gets nervious and fumbels unsure how to help his son and after the fact brushes it off as just a little unfortunate occurance. However after the monkey incident Mr. and Mrs. Das are finally able to agree on something and that is to go back to their hotel. This entire event shows that once a couple brings a child into the world the childrens happiness and well being should be the parents biggest concern. When parents them selves continue to act like children they are unable to be good parents which could result in harm to the child. Mrs. Das was clearly acting as child barley giving her children the time of day when they spoke to her, when Bobby is suddenly in danger she instantly becomes a concerned parent again or so she wants to give the impression she is. After Bobby is no longer in immediate danger instead of tending to his injuries however small she wants to brush his hair as if somehow that will help. Although this may be questionable at least she is finally paying attention to her son. The point I think Jhumpa Lahiri is trying to make in this is that parents should put aside their problems with each other when children are involved. That to be a parent is to no longer only live for one’s self.
ReplyDeleteQuestion #1
ReplyDeleteIn Lahiri’s first story, “A Temporary Matter” Shoba and Shukumar have a very unhealthy marital relationship. While reading this short story I noticed that throughout the story they kept many secrets from each other. Shoba finds out that he rips out a picture of a woman who is more appealing than his wife, when they were first married, in a magazine to look at. This is not something that is appropriate to be done in a marriage. Since they’ve hidden many secrets from each other throughout this story it made their relationship stronger since they’ve learned a lot about each other in the four days that pasts in the story, yet at the same time weakened their relationship a lot since they both realized how unhealthy their relationship was and after all this time of being married hid so many secrets.
In the third story “Interpreter of Maladies” I noticed that out of the four stories that were read this one was the couple with the worst relationship. The family is lead by tour guide, Mr. Kapasi. Throughout the whole story Tina Das is flirtacious with Mr. Kapasi in front of her husband. She finds an interest in his second job as an interpreter and calls it “romantic”. Mr. Kapasi proceeds to go along with her interest in him. Her husband, Raj Das shows jealousy and seems appalled by this but does not show much feeling towards her. In the story the Lahiri writes, “Mr. and Mrs. Das behaved like an older brother and sister, not parents” (pg 49). This displays that the way they act towards eachother is not like most husbands and wives. This is similar to Shoba and Shukumar because they both show little interest in eachother. Later in the story Tina ends up telling Mr. Kapasi the secret that her youngest son Bobby is not her husband’s child but he does not know that. She connects with Mr. Kapasi better than her own husband which is not healthy at all.
In the fourth short story, “A Real Durwan” Mr. Dalal is married to Mrs. Dalal. Everything seems like a competition between them. Mr. Dalal comes home with the great news that he has been promoted and buys two basins for the household. His wife is angry that out of all the years shes been married to him and everything shes asked of him he comes home with Basins instead. She then proceeds to surpass him by reconstructing the household herself.
Lahiri, overall, is stating that when a couple is married they may not be in love, yet they deal with it in different ways. Communication is a huge factor in marriage.
2.The reason that I think Lahiri names the second story “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine” instead of “Mr. Pirzada came to Dine” because it was not just one time that Mr. Pirzada came to Dine at Lilia’s house. Mr. Pirzada lived with the Lilia’s family for good amount of time and was considered a member of the family. Mr. Pirzada had an influence on Lilia’s family by bringing the family closer and learning about his way of life, because he is not Indian. Mr. Pirzada had a huge affect on Lilia because he was a parental figure to Lilia, almost like a grandfather to her. Pirzada interacted with the family by watching TV and playing scrabble with the parents, and carving a pumpkin with Lilia for Halloween. Mr. Pirzada even spoiled Lilia by giving her candy every night that she would put inside a small keepsake box that was set aside her bed. Mr. Pirzada cared for Lilia like he was her own. For instance he was concerned when Lilia was going trick or treating for Halloween with her good friend Dora. Mr. Pirzada, lack of concern was shown here by worrying about the safety of the girls because he didn’t know if his children and wife were safe as well. The title of the story “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine” explains that Mr. Pirzada is important to Lilia and her Family and had an impact on their lives. This point is made when Mr. Pirzada leaves the household and he writes that he is back with his wife and children and this hurts Lilia tremendously because she knows that she will never see Mr. Pirzada again. This is my reason why the names of the second story are “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine” rather than “Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine.”
ReplyDelete4.Why is Boori Ma not a "real durwan" according to the story by the same name? Explain.
ReplyDeleteBoori Ma is not considered to be a "real durwan" because the services of a durwan is traditionally only for men: "Though under normal circumstances this was no job for a woman, she honored the responsibility, and maintained a vigil no less punctilious than if she were the gatekeeper of a house on Lower Circular Road, or Jodhpur Park, or any other fancy neighborhood" (73). Even though Boori Ma's services are just as good as a "real" durwan, because she is a woman her services are not respected. The residents of the building blame Boori Ma for letting the keys and the sink get stolen, although it is their fault for neglecting Boori Ma and letting her live in terrible conditions and have to sleep on newspaper. They kick Boori ma out of the building and begin their search for "a real durwan". The story is sad and shows the cruelty that people can have when someone does not fit their expected or conformed role of society. Boori Ma is forced out of the building and made homeless just because of a misunderstanding and blamed for not being a real durwan just because she is a woman.
Question 3:
ReplyDeleteI believe the monkey episode is important because it gives the reader more insight to the family. Mrs. Das tells Mr. Kapasi that her son belongs to a different man while the monkeys serve as a distraction to the rest of the family. She admits that she no longer loves her husband and seeks advice from Mr. Kapasi, who secretly admires Mrs. Das. Mr. Kapasi keeps having daydreams about what he imagines will happen between him and Mrs. Das. When the monkeys begin to attack, Mrs. Das screams out for Mr. Kapasi to save her son, rather than seek out her own husband. I felt this showed that she feels her husband to be weak or incapable of saving the family. He is always taking pictures, never even paying attention to the fact that his own wife seems to be flirting with another man right in front of him. He never notices that something is wrong with her when she wants to stay in the car with Mr. Kapasi. Mr. Das is always lost behind the camera and it has made him oblivious and an irresponsible man. The monkey scene is also the episode where Mrs. Das loses Mr. Kapasi's address. The fact that Mr. Kapasi did not try to give her a new address could mean that, after her confession, he no longer sees her as the same person. He sees a family that is broken deep inside, but puts on a false act to fool people. "Mr. Kapasi observed it too, knowing that this was the picture of the Das family he would preserve forever in his mind" (69). This seems like he realizes the picture they took earlier, and the entire day for that matter are all part of an act. An act that Mr. Kapasi will remember when he thinks about the Das family and their well-being, and Mrs. Das' confession.
I will see you tomorrow morning. Have a good night!
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ReplyDeleteTiffany Robb
ReplyDeleteQuestion 4:
Boori Ma was not considered a "real durwan" by the tenants of her building because she was not hired as a doorman. She kept the stairwell in an impeccably clean condition for trade to live there. What some might take as a lowly job, she made her life. Boori Ma did not just do a durwan's work, she encompassed her whole being into it. She slept outside the collapsible gate making everyone inside feel comfortable. However, I believe she was kept around because "All agreed she was a superb entertainer".(73) People liked hearing her stories whether they believed her or not, because they were curious. The tenants did not view her as a true durwan because they viewed her as a victim. She was a victim of deportation, of "changing times", lonliness, womanhood, isolation, and fanstasy. They played the facade of simply housing her while actually feeling protected by her. But when she began to walk around the neighborhood, they felt unprotected by her. Boori Ma was easy to blame and attack like prey. A real durwan, in their eyes, wouldn't be a woman and wouldn't have gotten the keys stolen.
I believe the story is called " A Real Durwan" because Boori Ma truly was their durwan. As the tenants upgraded their building, making it more civilized and classy, they felt as though Boori Ma did not fit in to this picture. The tenants blew the stolen key situation out of proportion as an excuse to rid her. She was outcasted once again.
Question 2
ReplyDeleteI think that adding the title "when" was very significant to the chapter. When Mr. Prizada visited it was a special moment for Lilia. Him bringing her candy every time he visited and just him almost being like a part of the family. Also the fact that he stopped coming makes sense of the title because it refers back to the time when he did visit. That's why I believe the word "when" was significant.