South Charleston High School

CIS MISC08.07 The Irony of the End
The Interpreter of Maladies written by Jhumpa Lahiri is focused on examining the flaws
in the personalities of the main characters in the story. Excluding three of the stories (When Mr.
Pirzada Came to Dine, The Treatment of Bibi Haldar, and The Third and Final Continent) the
stories are from a third person point of view. Though the narration is third person, it is limited to
a singular character, this to say that the narration is not an omnipresent power. The reader is able
to think about the perspective of the focused on character but there is no outside tampering. The
reader can judge the focused character freely. There are only some characters who present
themselves to be not needing of judgement. The book is meant to be understood by the author
writing and communicating the emotions from the circumstances.
In the first short story, the third person narration is focused on Shukma. The situation of
the stillborn baby is being discussed. Shukbar’s opinion is voices by saying that “he and Shoba
would get through it all somehow. She was only thirty-three. She was strong.” He is referring to
the dead baby as if it was a sickness that shall too be overcome. This is when the audience is
made to judge the situation and the character’s response. Why would a person who is not guilty
want the child to be dead? The narration frames it that he is bitter like he was the one who
physically lost the child.