Notes on Jhumpa Lahiri's
Pulitzer Prizewinning
Interpreter of Maladies

Published by Houghton Mifflin, 1999
short stories previously published by
The New Yorker, Agni Review, Epoch

Michiko Kakutani:
"Her prose is so eloquent
and assured that the reader forgets
this is her first book."

"Her tactile precision, poise--
objectivity, compassion--a
precocious debut."

Dedication:
For my parents and for my sister

First sentence of title story (Interpreter of Maladies:)

"At the Tea Stall Mr. and Mrs. Das bickered
about who should take Tina to the toilet."

Smooth, fast, officious--
she seems to know her characters well.

Mr. Das has a new digital camera
(Dad would like that).

"Bobby make sure that your brother doesn't do anything stupid."

Tina is the name of the little girl.
Mina is the name of the mother.
The father teaches middle school.

("lotus
oil
balm"
similar to Sappho's
"gold
anklebone
cups")

Museum of Natural History mentioned
(reminds me of Catcher in the Rye).

Ms. Das is snooty.
She chews the kind of gum with liquid inside.

The American show Dallas is still on tv
in India.

"He had dreamed of being an interpreter for diplomats
and dignitaries."

Mr. Kapasi worked for a docter who paid him twice as much
as he made working as a teacher.

Ms. Das' interest in him intoxicates him.

"bottled
mango
juice, two
omelette
sandwiches."

"The temple at Konarek was dedicated to
the master of life--the sun--
Surya."

"The wheels are supposed to symbolize
the wheel of life. They depict the cycle
of creation, preservation, achievement of realization...
the medalions in center of spokes are
carved with women in luxurious poses."

"Honesty is the best policy."

"When she whipped out her hairbrush
the slip of paper w/ Mr. Kapasi's address on it
fluttered away in the wind."

"Is it really pain you feel, Mrs. Das,
or is it guilt?"