Interpreter of Maladies

Interpreter of Maladies is a collection of short stories, yet these stories must be examined as a whole.

Houghton Mifflin Reading Guide:

“Maladies both accurately diagnosed and misinterpreted, matters both temporary and life changing, relationships in flux and unshakable, unexpected blessings and sudden calamities, and the powers of survival—these are among the themes of Jhumpa Lahiri’s extraordinary, Pulitzer Prize-winning debut collection of stories. Traveling from India to New England and back again, Lahiri charts the emotional voyages of characters seeking love beyond the barriers of nations, cultures, religions, and generations. Imbued with the sensual details of both Indian and American cultures, they also speak with universal eloquence and compassion to everyone who has ever felt like an outsider. Like the interpreter of the title story—which was selected for both the O. Henry Award and The Best American Short Stories—Lahiri translates between the ancient traditions of her ancestors and the sometimes baffling prospects of the New World. Including three stories first published in The New Yorker, Interpreter of Maladies introduces, in the words of Frederick Busch, ‘a writer with a steady, penetrating gaze. Lahiri honors the vastness and variousness of the world.’ Amy Tan concurs: ‘Lahiri is one of the finest short story writers I’ve read’” (Houghton Mifflin Press).

Guiding Question

“As a storyteller, I’m aware that there are limitations in communication” (Lahiri).
What importance in the stories do miscommunication and unexpressed feelings have?

Understanding India

• Diaspora
• Hindi courtship/marriage conventions
• Hinduism, and its role in the lives of the people
• Gender and women
• Independence/British Influence
• Food
• Poverty/Classes/Caste System

Resources

“Interpreter of Maladies: A Reading Guide.” Houghton Mifflin Reading Guides 2016. Web. 16 May 2016.