Though many know Jhumpa Lahiri due to the success of her first novel, The Namesake, which was adapted to film in 2006, Lahiri is perhaps a more powerful short story-teller. Her Pulitzer Prize-winning collection, Interpreter of Maladies, is an amazing compilation of stories all having to do with the experiences of Indians and Indian-Americans.
Lahiri possesses a sharp attention to detail and simultaneous focus on the big themes that connect human life. For example, the story “This Blessed House” includes precise descriptions of religious trinkets found in hidden corners of a newly bought house. The story is given depth beyond the tangible, however, by allowing the discovery of the trinkets to shed light on the hidden elements of the married homeowners’ relationship.
The story that shares the book’s title is a powerful presentation of the clash between a vacationing Indian-American family and the country that has given them their ethnicity. Though the vacationers share skin color and physical appearance with the Indians around them, their difference in culture is strong enough to lead to a moving and tragic climax.
It is this quality of heart-wrenching tragedy that connects many of the stories in Interpreter of Maladies. But whether a story’s flavor is tragedy or joy, every tale in this collection is sure to evoke the reader’s emotions and imagination. I recommend this book to anyone willing to glimpse into a stranger’s heart, and consequently, their own.
-Ryan Barnette, Reference Assistant
No comments:
Post a Comment