Interpreter of Maladies Language and Communication Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Abbreviated Title.Paragraph)

Quote #4

"I beg your pardon, Mrs. Das, but why have you told me this information?" Mr. Kapasi asked when she had finally finished speaking, and had turned to face him once again. (IM 145)

This is the part where Mrs. Das tells Mr. Kapasi all about her affair and how another man fathered her son Bobby. This big reveal shows Mrs. Das's belief that communicating with Mr. Kapasi could cure her unhappiness. But because of the nature of their relationship, it doesn't really come across as authentic communication.

Quote #5

Her throaty impostures hurt no one. All agreed that she was a superb entertainer. (ARD 12)

Lest we forget that Boori Ma's job as a "durwan" consists of much more than just sweeping the stairwell, we see that her communication style keeps the community engaged. In the end, it's not enough.

Quote #6

`"Go ahead," he urged, walking backward to his end of the bridge. His voice dropped to a whisper. "Say something." She watched his lips forming the words; at the same time she heard them so clearly that she felt them under her skin, under her winter coat, so near and full of warmth that she felt herself go hot.

"Hi," she whispered, unsure of what else to say.

"You're sexy," he whispered back. (S 39-41)

Dev and Miranda are testing the amazing acoustics at the Mapparium in this scene. We're thinking there's probably no better example of how hard it is for Miranda to leave Dev. Yeah, Dev's married and kind of a schmuck, but look at the effect of his words on Miranda. How do you turn your back on that kind of communication?! It's like his words are his body and they're so close to her…that's sexy. On the other hand, this verbal exchange takes place at a distance. That's probably a warning sign about this relationship.