Polyvocality in Interpreter of Maladies @interpreterofmaladies372-blog - Tumblr Blog

Introduction

Interpreter of Maladies is the literary debut of author Jhumpa Lahiri. In this collection of short stories, Lahiri tells nine different narratives about the Indian immigrant experience.

Lahiri’s ability to express so much in so little words raises the question: Why does Lahiri use the form of short stories to tell the Indian immigrant experience? What does this say about polyvocality?

Author Background

Jhumpa Lahiri was born in London in 1967 as the daughter of Bengali Indian immigrants. She moved to the United States with her family when she was very young and says that her multicultural heritage caused her a lot of identity confusion when she was younger. She holds a B.A. in English Literature from Barnard College and several Master’s Degrees from Boston College. Lahiri is married with two children and still works as an author and professor.

#jhumpa lahiri

What is Polyvocality?

Polyvocality is “the use of multiple voices as a narrative mode within a text, typically in order to encourage diverse readings rather than to promote a preferred reading” (Oxford Reference)

Lahiri not only uses completely different scenarios in each short story, but also offers the perspective of very different narrators in each one to give a broad insight on Indian immigrant experiences.

Lahiri’s style of writing expresses distinct clarity that sets this collection apart from the norm. Her simple but captivating prose attracts readers and invokes empathy for the characters.

When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine

The second short story in the collection is told through the eyes of 10 year old Lilia, the daughter of Indian immigrants. Set in 1971, the story revolves around the relationship between Lilia’s family and Mr. Pirzada, a researcher visiting Boston from Pakistan.

Lahiri offers an interesting insight by including a story with Lilia as a first person narrator. Not only are we able to observe her growth throughout the story, but we also get to hear her private thoughts and observations on more serious subjects like the Partition of India and civil war-torn Pakistan.

A poignant moment from the story is when Lilia’s father explains to her that Mr. Pirzada is not considered Indian since the Partition. This is important because it is when Lilia first realizes the religious and cultural divides that exist and how they directly affect her life. Before this moment, she had only considered Mr. Pirzada Indian like her parents because they followed the same cultural customs.

Another important perspective from Lilia is when her father asks her if she knows what is happening in East Pakistan and what she is even learning in school. Not only does Lilia recognize the contrasting viewpoints of her parents (her mother pushes for more assimilation to where they live now, her father wants Lilia to realize where she came from), she also recognizes the Americanization of her school curriculum. This conversation makes Lilia more aware of her bicultural identity as well as the disparities that minority students face.

As Lilia matures, she begins to realize the severe hardships that Mr. Pirzada is going through and finds herself becoming more comfortable in his presence. Although the story doesn’t span a particularly long time, the readers see the growth of Lilia’s world view and are left with a hopeful ending.

#jhumpa lahiri #polyvocality #interpreter of maladies

Interpreter of Maladies

In contrast, the story Interpreter of Maladies is told from the perspective of 46 year old Mr. Kapasi, a man who works as both a tour guide and a medical interpreter and tells of his experience with the Das family.

This story’s structure is made up of careful and thoughtful observations by Mr. Kapazi as well as the antics of the eccentric Das family.

For me, the most interesting element of the story was the fact that Mr. Kapasi was not interested in or attracted to Mrs. Das until she expressed interest in him. Before then, Mr. Kapasi had viewed her simply as an American woman disconnected from her husband and children. His infatuation with Mrs. Das shows his dissatisfaction with his marriage and insecurities about his life in general.

On the other hand, Mrs. Das views Mr. Kapasi’s job as an interpreter as somewhat magical. This is because she has felt isolated and alone for quite some time, which is shown when she explains to Mr. Kapasi that Bobby is not her husband’s son.

At the end of the story, the paper blowing away in the wind shows contrast for how this experience is perceived for both Mr. Kapasi and Mrs. Das. While Mr. Kapasi began to daydream of a future friendship through letter writing between himself and Mrs. Das, she was only interested on letting go of a burden from her past and ridding herself of guilt.

What do these stories say about Polyvocality?

While I only focused on these two stories specifically, all of Lahiri’s stories in this collection are interesting because despite the narrator’s perspective, each story reveals meaningful insight about more than one character. The narrators in these stories, who might not seem particularly extraordinary at first glance, possess quiet and careful observance that allows them to reflect deeply not only on their own experiences but on others around them.

Some people may think that when you read a short story that in a sense you are reading less, or that you are somewhat robbed of further background or insight that a full length novel provides. This is not the case with Lahiri’s work. By providing readers an intimate look at a particular character or experience, Lahiri gives a deeper understanding of their life as a whole and demonstrate how a seemingly simple moment can have profound influence on your life.

#polyvocality #jhumpa lahiri #interpreter of maladies

Jhumpa Lahiri as an Interpreter of Maladies Herself

The title of this story collection is incredibly fitting. In many ways, Lahiri can be seen herself as an Interpreter of Maladies. Lahiri provides a deeper look into the moments of sadness, isolation, and desperation that these characters face that are tied to Indian immigrant experiences.

#jhumpa lahiri #polyvocality

But wait, What’s the point?

I thought that this quote was a perfect summation of Lahiri’s own intention of writing a story with polyvocality as well as the purpose of polyvocality itself. As humans, we judge, we assume, and we form prejudices often based on ignorance or simple lack of understanding. The purpose of polyvocality, as seen in Lahiri’s writing, is to encourage the understanding that we need to engage difference and break down barriers.

#polyvocality #understanding #jhumpa lahiri

Jhumpa Lahiri is DEFINITELY not one who succumbs to the Danger of a Single Story.

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