Dakota Michelini-Kuhlmann
Professor Brady
Pub 3
24 April 2023
Interpreter of Postmodernism
Interpreter of Maladies by Lahiri is undoubtedly a story of imperfect, complex characters who face certain challenges and have quirks that would only show in a work of postmodernism. Postmodernism is known as a literary period that focuses on showing the truth of each person rather than those of certain groups, cultures or races. Postmodernism focuses on the multifaceted personalities of its characters, in other terms. In the postmodern understanding, Interpretation is everything.
Each of Lahiris' characters holds such meaning to the reader, only if they are able to interpret said characters into something interesting and meaningful, either through individual experiences or how they view people as a whole. Mr. Kapasi and Mrs. Daas are the lead roles in the story as we watch Kapasi's view of Mrs. Daas change from that of an entitled woman on a tour with her husband. To a woman that understands him, is trapped in her relationship, and whom he could see is the girl for him. Unfortunately, this view was just that of Kapasis's interpretation as Mrs. Daas held a different perspective. Mrs. Daas feels resentment towards her husband and feels as if she had been trapped since they were children in a relationship with him which unfortunately is a familiar case in many Indian and Asian communities. Although The Daas marriage was not an ‘Arranged’ Marriage they had been strongly encouraged by their parents and it could be assumed that to avoid shame from their families they had followed through with the arraignments. According to Dr. Utpal Dholakia, In a study, he and his team conducted found that in a majority of happily arraigned marriages Indian families shared that they would not want to admit their marriage had been arraigned and felt it brought shame and guilt to what should just be a happy relationship. The Daas marriage contributed to the stories of postmodernism having its conflict and multifaceted traits. Its happiness, regret, grief, and resentment, are all tucked behind what outsiders would perceive as a happy marriage.
Works Cited
Dholakia, Utpal. Why Are Indians Ashamed Of Their Happy Arranged Marriages?, 2017, Psychology today.
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