"Interpreter of maladies" a true work of Post Modernism

 

Post Modernism or Post WWII is a time period known to portray human’s diversities of judgment where interpretation is key to people’s truth and Moral law is relative to each person. In “interpreter of maladies” by Jhumpa Lahiri, we see an example of human’s behavioral complexity. The protagonists of the play Mrs. Das and Mr. Kapasi are drown in complication concerning their relationships with their respective family. Tha characterizes this play as a true work of the Post Modernism era.

Interpretation is a significant theme on this play. Mrs. Das deliberately cheated on her husband with his friend because she wasn't attracted to her husband any more. According to Mr Kapasi this is a flagrant act that one of her son is not Mr. Das biological sun. However what really Bother Mrs. Das was the fact that she is still living with her husband whom she doesn’t have any feeling for anymore. When she asked Mr.Kapasi to interpret her supposedly pain, Mr. Kapasi embarrassed her by saying:" Is it really pain you feel, Mrs. Das or is it guilt" (Mr. Kapasi 66). Judgment and interpretation are also shown in other aspect of the story. Both Mr Kapasi and her wife did not consider his job as an interpreter as a noble job but for Mrs. Das it was really romantic job (50). Interpretation and human’s behavior varies largely among people depending on their cultural environment. Lahiri made a good job presenting characters with two different culture, The Das family with a western culture and Mr kapasi with a eastern culture. We can see they share different thoughts, behave differently but they all live with complexity. 

Human’s desire and ability to make decision make of him a complex being. This thesis advocated during the Post Modernism is well shown in Lahiri’s “interpreter of maladies”. It looks irrational that Mrs. Das is no longer in love with her husband; they were so connected when they started dated each other. Their relationship was really exciting until their human mind will change that. Was it because they were too young or was it because their relation was a setup from their parents? (69). we don’t really know, it’s just another Post Modernism relative opinion. Also, Mr. Kapasi’s lost of a son did not bring him any closer to his wife instead has brought a cold atmosphere between them.

Jhumpa Lahiri’s “interpreter of maladies” depicts human’s complex behavior and difficulties in relationship as it was characterized during the Post Modernism Era. We saw peoples that weren’t too much different than the monkeys; they are obedient but unintimidated when it comes to question the absolute.