By Ethan Li
“They wept together, for the things they now knew.”
The ending line of the first short story in Jhumpa Lahiri’s Interpreter of Maladies highlights the author’s unique mood, presenting pensive yet romantic melancholy. In Lahiri’s debut book, a collection of nine short stories, characters fall in and out of love, discover long-buried secrets, and mourn the loss of innocence. Set in both India and America with motifs of immigration and loss of culture, Maladies shines as a compelling narrative chronicling the highly emotional, yet rarely exhilarating lives of normal people in extraordinary scenarios.
Winner of the 2000 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, Lahiri was born in London to Indian immigrants from West Bengal, moving to the United States at the age of three. Her life experiences clearly influence the stories in Maladies; a story titled “The Third and Final Continent” follows an unnamed narrator who moved from India to London to Boston, similar to the life story of the author. In an interview with the Chicago Public Library, Lahiri describes her family as “hovering between two places.” “There were things… I seemed to watch through a glass,” she describes, presenting her unique upbringing that, I believe, let her handle the “foreigner” experience so perfectly in her collection of stories. All stories center around characters who feel out of place, whether it be the unusually sick orphan in “The Treatment of Bibi Haldar” or the unappreciated stairway sweeper in “A Real Durwan.”
What truly brings Maladies’ stories to life is Lahiri’s meticulous prose and unique story structure. She truly examines all facets of her characters’ psyches, and, impressively, often does so without simply diving into the characters’ minds. A “cavernous” station wagon, a “frosted bottle” of luxury cream, a “dull and discolored” piano—all these concrete objects give clues to characters’ hopes, desires, and fears in Lahiri’s elegantly crafted world. In “Mrs. Sen’s,” a story some students may remember reading in Mr. Evans’ AP Literature class, even the humble fish becomes a symbol of the titular character’s longing for familiar culture in her foreign world. Lahiri’s details invite the reader into the world she created, and she just as beautifully releases us into our world when it ends.
However, I often felt dismayed whenever a story ended, longing for more plot or a conclusion that wrapped everything up neatly; however, these abrupt endings never left me dissatisfied. Lahiri makes sure her works express everything she wishes, stating in the same interview that if she feels “satisfied that the parts of the story are all justifiable and properly expressed,” then she “[lets] a story go.” Reading through each piece, I would liken it to a fancy multi-course meal; each course may leave you wanting more of the same delicious food you just downed, but it’s important to take a step back and realize the chef crafted the portion sizes for optimal satisfaction before being whisked away to the next delicacy. The stories aren’t unfinished; they are logically ended stories that are so well-written, you have to long for more. And of course, you could always order the same meal again, rereading a story while devouring old details and making new discoveries.
I feel extremely confident in saying that Lahiri’s collection is well deserving of the Pulitzer Prize it received. Coming into this book, I was admittedly skeptical of how a collection of short stories could have the same impact as an entire novel, which has an overarching plot. The answer is simple: Lahiri’s exceptional prose shows through each of the stories. It helps that the stories share similar themes, but each of Lahiri’s plots are engaging, and her writing shines throughout. Additionally, in contrast to other Pulitzer Prize winners, which can feel like a marathon to get through, a collection of short stories is more approachable—you can read one story a week, slowly getting through the book without feeling lost. Therefore, I would highly recommend Maladies to high school readers, especially due to its universal ideas of alienation and immigration.
Even now at the end of the review, I’m not sure I fully understand all the themes and ideas in Interpreter of Maladies. I believe this to be a testament to Jhumpa Lahiri’s extraordinary style, packing her stories full of engaging details. Although I still need to soak in all the details more, Lahiri’s stories should be read by as many people as possible. They may be short, but they definitely pack a punch.