Theme Analysis

 

The topic of communication and its capacity to bring people together or keep them apart stuck out to me as a theme across the Short Story Unit. In "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri and "Hills Like White Elephants" by Ernest Hemingway, this concept is well treated.

In "Interpreter of Maladies," the Das family's breakdown in understanding and connection is caused by Mr. Kapasi, their Indian tour guide, and the Das family's ineffective communication. While Mr. Kapasi interacts with the Das family professionally and detachedly, the Das family's communication is restricted to quarreling and whining. For instance, Mr. Kapasi responds, "I have two sons and a daughter" when Mrs. Das inquires about his family (Lahiri, 6). This response demonstrates how far Mr. Kapasi is from the family because he is reticent to divulge sensitive information to them.

In "Hills Like White Elephants," the tension is centered on a breakdown in communication. A feeling of distance and separation develops between the couple as a result of their failure to adequately communicate about the decision they must make. As the couple avoids explicitly discussing the decision to have an abortion, the use of euphemisms and indirect language contributes to the story's subject of communication breakdown. For instance, the American responds, "They're lovely hills...They don't really look like white elephants," when the woman describes the hills in the distance. I merely meant how their skin looked through the trees (Hemingway, 3). This conversation reveals the couple's unwillingness to deal with the matter head-on and their inability to connect on a deeper level.

Both tales highlight the significance of excellent communication in creating deep bonds between people. In "Interpreter of Maladies," Mr. Kapasi's work as an interpreter emphasizes how language can bring people together, while the Das family's failure to communicate properly illustrates the negative effects of poor communication. In "Hills Like White Elephants," the couple's inability to communicate results in a feeling of separation, emphasizing the value of open and honest communication in relationships. These tales serve as a reminder of the influence that communication has on our lives and how it can influence our relationships.