7/28/2019 IOM Essay 1

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For Mrs Sen, everything is there (in India). What instances are there is these stories of exile,

estrangement, displacement and marginality - both emotional and cultural?

Intro:

Jhumpa Lahiri expresses many struggles faced by Indian immigrants in foreign places

through her collection of short stories book Interpreter of Maladies. Lahiri herself was

from Indian descent and living in America, she is able to portray these characters from a

very personal perspective. She shows the reader how these characters try to assimilate

into their surrounding culture, many from Indian backgrounds, as well as trying to preserve

their traditions and old habits, such as Mrs Sen, who finds it extremely difficult to let go of

her past. Lahiri also shows us that these feelings of exile and estrangement from a place

does not necessarily only happen in a foreign country, such as Boori Ma from A Real

Durwan. However, not all of Lahiris stories gives us the negative aspect of migration. In A

Third and Final Continent, Lahiri shows us that despite the struggles of exile,

estrangement and displacement, a couple can still find peace in a foreign country as well

as in their marriage, with a matter of time and patience.

Mrs Sen's

Lahiri shows us through Mrs Sen, the culture differences between two countries in India

and America and how the wide gap in social practices affects her. Mrs Sen finds it

extremely hard to adjust to the Western way of living, she feels compressed and isolated in

her house in America compared to India. She always shares about her life in India with

Elliot, the little American boy she babysits in her house. Some of the practices seemed so

uncivilized and barbaric which alarmed Elliot, such as raising her voice to express grief or

joy of any kind, making Elliot afraid that the neighbours would complain if she did so. Mrs

Sen continues to practice her Indian way of marriage commitment, which was solemnly

applying, with the head of a thumbtack, a fresh stroke of scarlet powder on her forehead

every morning. She clears of Elliots curiosity of this daily ritual by comparing it to the

western wedding ring culture, only with no fear of losing it in the dishwasher. Despite this

devotional act she does, her marriage displays some estrangement, both Mr and Mrs Sen

display an emotional distance with each other, even Elliot notices Mr Sen not kissing Mrs

Sen when arriving home from work. What really makes Mrs Sen however as Elliot

observes, was anything with the connection back to her home such as the letters from her

family and eating fish, which only happens occasionally. Despite encouragement form Mr

Sen and Elliots mum, Mrs Sen is reluctant to learn how to drive as it is extremely new and

different as well as not being part of the Indian culture.

Lahiri shows us how difficult a life can be in a foreign place without the will to

change and interest to assimilate, it cannot only affect Mrs Sen but the others around her,

putting her marriage in jeopardy. Her dependance on Mr Sen for transport increases his

annoyance towards her, as well as making her frustrated with the things she cant do such

as buying her beloved fish. Due to her lack of practice earlier and being overwhelmed by

emotional conflicts, Mrs Sen meets an accident. With that, she loses her job of caring for

Elliot as well as having the possibility of ruining her marriage by living in an estranged

relationship with Mr Sen in the future.