Loring-leader
Caroline-analyst
1st question: (Anne Catherine)
How does the fact that Mr. Kapasi is an interpreter affect his interesting relationship with Mrs. Das? Who is Mr. Kapasi replacing in Mrs. Das's life emotionally? And vice versa, who is Mrs. Das replacing?
He can listen to Mrs. Das's problems and give intelligent and helpful feedback unlike anyone else she knows. Mr. Kapasi is emotionally and mentally replacing Mrs. Das's husband in the story; he is acting as a support for her as she tells him all of her hardships and secrets. Mrs. Das is replacing his wife because he doesn't have a real relationship with her.
2nd question: (Loring)
What is the malady in Mrs. Das's life that Mr. Kapasi is interpreting?
Mrs. Das is someone who has many problems layered up in her life, all that she has refused to fix. She doesn't trust anyone except Mr. Kapasi and hardly even loves her own family.
3rd question: (Caroline)
How do you think Mr. Kapasi's title of "Interpreter of Maladies" influences his role in the story and the way that Mr. and Mrs. Das view him? Use the dialogue on the bottom of page 163 to enclosure your decision.
When Mr. and Mrs. Das hear his title of "Interpreter of Maladies", they think of him as not only a taxi driver but someone who is free to discuss person problems and lives. Mr. Kapasi says the following, "My job is to give tours, Mrs. Das", and she replies "Not that. Your other job. As an interpreter." This shows that Mrs. Das does not fully understand Mr. Kapasi's job.
"When she whipped out the hairbrush, the slip of paper with Mr. Kapasi's address on it fluttered away in the wind. No one but Mr. Kapasi noticed. He watched as it rose, carried higher and higher by the breeze, into the trees where the monkeys now sat, solemnly observing the scene below. Mr. Kapasi ovserved it too, knowning that this was the picture of the Das family he would preserve forever in his mind." (P. 166) These are the last few sentences in the short story which model a twist ending showing a theme of unwanted events happening for a reason which the character does not gladly accept.
- Symbol: " The job was a sign of his failings." (P. 154) Mr. Kapasi's job is a symbol of him failing in life. He is not happy with his life know which he simply attributes to his past actions.- Imagery: "He could smell a scent on her skin, like a mixture of whiskey and rosewater." (P. 156) He is over analysing Mrs. Das and thinks of everything she does and says as heavenly.
- Imagery: "The boy was silent, his body forzen, swift teras running down his starled face. His bare legs were dusty and red with welts from where one of the monkeys struck him repeatedly with the stick he had given to it earlier." (P. 165) The author wants the readers to imagine the pain the boy feels which eventually brings the family together.
- Symbol: The slip of paper with Mr. Kapasi's address on it which is stuffed in Mrs. Das' bag symbolizes a secret future and love which Mr. Kapasi intends to share with Mrs. Das. He knows that without this paper, his love will be gone forever. When the paper flies away, he knows that his friendship/future relationship with Mrs. Das is over forever.
