Interpreter of Maladies is all about gaps in communication, even between people who speak the same language. But that doesn't mean characters don't communicate in Lahiri's stories; they just often struggle to do it. That's because these characters are all balancing huge cultural differences from their Bengali/Indian and American backgrounds. For them, there's no such thing as "regular" speech.
Questions About Language and Communication
- How do props help some of the characters in these stories communicate?
- How is silence used to communicate important information in the book?
- Why do some of the native English speaking characters have such a tough time communicating with each other?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
The biggest communication gap isn't between white Americans and Bengali or Indian immigrants in this book: it's between the second-generation Bengali/Indian-American married couples.
Too much talking leads to greater misunderstandings between people.