Interpreter of Maladies

This story focuses on an Indian woman, Mrs. Sen, who moved to America with her husband who is a professor at a University. The story focuses on the themes of loneliness and isolation as she, and the American child she baby-sits, deal with the that seclusion exists in both of their lives.

Mrs. Sen's story demonstrates how people that are seemingly very different can still have the same experiences. Mrs. Sen is a middle- aged, female, East Indian immigrant that is ultimately confused by American culture and feels out of place and alienated because her family is so far away. While Eliot is a 11 year old Caucasian boy that lives with his single parent mother in a beach house. According to my standards, on the surface they are dissimilar. But what I want to focus on is the similarities in emotions, feelings, and the need for companionship. They both are distant from and do not have a connection with the only person in their lives (for Mrs. Sen, her husband and for Eliot his mother). Although Mrs. Sen is ultimately confused about American culture, she has come to the realization that this culture unlike her own prides itself on individualism and solidarity. While Eliot realizes that he is not alone in feeling alienated but has embraced solidarity.

Do you think that American society prides itself on individualism or trends and fads that force age groups together? Do you feel that you are more an individualist or a part of the grand scheme of popular cultures fads and trends?

Have you thought that you and another person had personalities and/ or characteristics that were on either end of the spectrum, but in the end found that the two of you had similarities on a different level? How has this affected your view on diversity? At the end of the day are we all very diverse or are we for the most part generally the same type of human being?

This short story is centered around an American woman named Miranda, who lives alone in Boston. Miranda eventually engages in a romantic relationship with a married Indian man named Dev. This story focuses on the the universal desire to love and be loved. It also comments on the power of love and the confusing of lust for love.

Being that I am an African American woman, race is very salient in my life. I am constantly reminded of my race in my daily life. Because of this I was very conscious of the race and ethnicity of the characters in this story, and stories in general. Over the course of the story, Miranda becomes more and more fascinated with Dev's culture, to the point where she thinks of “deserts and elephants, and marble pavilions floating on lakes beneath a full moon” when they're having sex. For me the fact that both the women that the Indian men cheat with are white, really stuck out in my mind. It reminded me of the many conversations that I've overheard about black men choosing white women over black women for reasons ranging from they're easier to deal with or that it somehow raises their status in society.
In addition to the racial aspects this story brought to mind, it also reminded me of the struggles many of my friends are currently enduring in their quest to find love. The desire to love and be loved in return is universal. However, many times people confuse lust for love, or over look the fact that the relationship they're in will never give them what they are looking for or what they deserve. The power and impact of love and lust are felt across cultures and ethnicities.

Why does ethnicity play such a large role in society? Do you feel that knowing a character's ethnicity is important or has an impact on how you read or interpret a story?

When a man cheats on his wife or girlfriend people often point fingers at the "other woman" in addition to, if not in place of the man himself. Do you feel this is an appropriate response? How much responsibility should be placed on the woman, does it matter if she knows that the man is in a relationship with someone else?

In the story "Sexy", the author mentions the Hindu Goddess Kali. Kali is one of the most well known and worshipped Hindu Goddesses. She is a manifestation of the Divine Mother, which represents the female principle and it is believed that Kali is the power with which Shiva acts. Without Kali, Shiva is powerless. In all three stories; "Sexy", "Interpreter of Maladies", and "Mrs. Sen's" the women are all powerless in some way and are attempting to reclaim that power as well as agency over their lives. In one way or another, patriarchal society has stripped away some of their power, rendering them unhappy and dissatisfied with parts of their lives. By reclaiming their agency and power, they can reshape their lives and possibly interact with the patriarchal society in a way that allows them to have more control over their lives.