"Family first": that's what motivates and breaks the characters in Interpreter of Maladies. Why? Because "family" is all about responsibilities and (failed) expectations—what a son should do for his mother; what a husband should do for his wife; what a parent should do for a child. In fact, when you think of "family" in this book, your code word is "should." No fun-filled family outings to Six Flags here.
Questions About Family
- How do the cultural backgrounds of the characters affect how they view their families?
- Who counts as "family"? Does "family" have to be based on blood?
- What does it mean to put family first anyway? Should the family always come before the individual?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Families can break apart because the expectations of family members are too high and demanding.
If you don't have a secure financial background, you can't expect to have a happy family.