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          The story “Interpreter of Maladies” by Jhumpa Lahiri is one of the best examples of postmodernism in literature. The definition of postmodernism is “highly skeptical explanations which claim to be valid for all groups and instead focus on the relative truths of each person.” “Interpreter of Maladies” exemplifies postmodernism through its descriptions of both Mr. Kapasi and Mrs. Das. This piece of literature focuses on the true underlying regrets of both Mrs. Das and Mr. Kapasi, instead of generalizing them as just a mother and a local cab driver. In postmodernism, the main principle is to focus on specific details of individuals, which Jhumpa Lahiri successfully accomplishes.

           Mrs. Das is a woman that married very young. She had children with her husband but eventually lost the spark of their romance. This led her to actually have an affair and give birth to another man’s child. Mr. Kapasi is a man that had aspirations of becoming an interpreter for the United Nations but instead lives out his life as a taxi driver and an interpreter for a local doctor. His career choice stemmed from a requirement to pay off medical bills for his dying son. The most unfortunate part of Mr. Kapasi’s story is how his wife refuses to respect him or his career. Once both characters meet, the reader can see how the deep roots of the human condition is prevalent in this story. Mr. Kapasi was receiving attention from Mrs. Das that he had not received from his wife in ages. This leads him to fantasize a romance with Mrs. Das in his head. “He began to check his reflection in the rearview mirror as he drove, feeling grateful that he had chosen the grey suit that morning and not the brown one, which tended to sag a little in the sleeves.” (Lahiri 19) This shows that he is paying attention to his appearance because he intends to woo Mrs. Das and wants to make a good impression, even though he has a wife at home. Later in the story, the reader gets a more deeply rooted explanation of Mrs. Das’ character. “It means that I’m tired of feeling so terrible all the time. Eight years Mr Kapasi, I’ve been in pain for eight years. I was hoping you could help me feel better, say the right thing.” (Lahiri 27) This shows that Mrs. Das is more than an American housewife. She is a woman that has deep sorrow and regret in her heart. Both Mr. Kapasi and Mrs. Das want another chance at life, and this is what the human condition is all about. It is human to make mistakes, and it is even more human to have a deep desire to correct them.

            This past week, on April 22, 2017 there was a giant activist march called the March for Science. This march had hundreds of thousands of people that felt our government is improperly handling environmental policies. The march targeted the Trump administration’s failure to recognize climate change data. Instead of combatting climate change, the administration is passing certain laws that reduce environmental regulations. This really is postmodernism at its finest. The protesters that marched on Washington were skeptical of our government’s agenda, and from that skepticism they began to show their deeply rooted emotion by coming together and fighting for a cause. For hundreds of thousands of people to come together, there must be a sincere desire for change. Postmodernism focuses on people’s true feeling instead of generalizing them. There may be a mass generalization of Trump protesters, but protesting for true emotion and science proves that we live in an era where human emotion is truly acknowledged.

Works Cited

Leaf, Clifton. "The." Science March: Why It Worked | Fortune.com. Fortune, 24 Apr. 2017. Web. 30 Apr. 2017.