In Terpreter of Maladies

In Interpreter of Maladies a couple is navigating between the Indian traditions they’ve inherited and the baffling new world in which they grew up in. The Dases hire an old-fashioned Indian guide, Mr. Kapasi, to drive them out to the Sun Temple in Konarak, India. Mr. Kapasi, conversant I nine languages, informs the family that he also works as an interpreter for a doctor. Because her family has their fair share of problems, Mrs. Das confides in Mr. Kapasi to help solve her unhappiness. Mr. Kapasi is at a loss as to how he should “interpret” her secret. Finally, Mr. Kapasi just asks Mrs. Das a question, “I beg your pardon, Mrs. Das, but why have you told me this information?” (Lahiri 200) Mr. Kapasi’s feelings towards Mrs. Das grew as the day went on, but soon finds out that Mrs. Das is just looking for a good time like her other affair back home.

Mr. Kapasi finds it odd that Mr. Das would call his wife by her first name when talking to his daughter and interprets this behavior as a sign that the marriage may not be a good one, meaning he might have a chance with Mrs. Das. Mr. Kapasi observes Mrs. Das, feeling slightly attracted to her. “She wears a red-and-white-checkered skirt that stops above her knees, slip-on shoes with square wooden heel, and a close-fitting blouse styled like a man’s undershirt. The blouse is decorated at chest-level with a calico appliquй in the shape of a strawberry” (Lahiri 187). Mr. Kapasi, amazed at what Mrs. Das is wearing because it shows off all of her assets. Indian culture dictates that women do not take their clothes off nor do they wear tight clothes. To Mr. Kapasi this is like wearing nothing because he has never seen anything about the waist on his wife. Mrs. Das excites Mr. Kapasi because she is so interested in his job and at lunch she invites him to sit next to her. Mr. Kapasi’s attraction for Mrs. Das grew as the day passed.

When Mr. Kapasi picks up the family at the hotel he realizes how distant Mrs. Das and her family are. “At the tea stall Mr. and Mrs. Das bicker bout how she will take Tina to the toilet. Eventually Mrs. Das relents when Mrs. Das points out that he had given the girl her bath the night before…She did not hold the little girl’s hand as they walked to the rest room” (Lahiri 185). He realizes that Mr and Mrs. Das are a young couple who look of Indian descent but are dressed like tourists. Mr. Das asks Tina where Mina is, but Mr. Kapasi finds it strange that he would refer to his wife by her first name. When they reach the temple Mr. Das and the children went ahead while Mrs. Das stayed behind with Mr. Kapasi. When they catch up Mr. Das kept telling Mrs. Das to pose in the pictures with the children but she kept ignoring him and putting all her interest into Mr. Kapasi because she feels that he could help her solve her unhappiness.

Mr. Kapasi starts to feel that Mrs. Das is interested in him. The way she asks