Language and Communication Theme Analysis

The importance of language in “The Interpreter of Maladies” is alluded to in the story’s title itself. Language is central to Mr. Kapasi’s second job as an interpreter of patient ailments in a doctor’s office, where he must rely on his linguistic prowess to communicate effectively between people who do not understand one another. The power—and limits—of language is further present in the interactions between Mr. Kapasi and the Das family, as well as within the Das family itself. As all of the characters struggle to express themselves meaningfully, Lahiri’s story suggests the depth of the gap that often exists between language and communication.

In addition to his work as an interpreter, Mr. Kapasi reveals that he had a passion for languages in his youth and became proficient through self-study in several. As a young man, Mr. Kapasi’s interest in languages was motivated by his belief in the nobility of translation as an occupation. He once dreamt of serving as an interpreter to “diplomats and dignitaries,” and thereby hoped to help resolve “conflicts between people and nations.”

Mr. Kapasi’s youthful passion points to his idealistic belief in the power of language as an instrument of communication and reconciliation. However, his work as an interpreter at a doctor’s office is a far cry from his dream of serving as a translator for dignitaries. Though he himself views the job as a “sign of his failings,” the dignity of his current work is affirmed by Mrs. Das, who is impressed by the responsibility that he carries in interpreting the illnesses of patients. By highlighting Mr. Kapasi’s interests and background , Lahiri evokes the power of language as a tool for understanding.

Yet, even as the story emphasizes the positive potential of language, it also highlights the ways in which language often fails people. This is reflected in the interactions between members of the Das family, who are unable to engage with each other meaningfully and effectively during their excursion with Mr. Kapasi. Though members of the Das family speak to one another often, they are not really communicating. Mr. Das warns his son Ronny against touching a goat at the beginning of the story, for example, and yet the boy ignores his father. Mr. Das commands his second son, Bobby, to follow Ronny, but Bobby refuses. Mr. Das’s linguistic commands are repeatedly rebuffed, stripping his voice of any power when it comes to controlling his children.

The Das family also often interacts through bickering rather than meaningful discussion of the sights around them. Mrs. Das complains to her husband about ordering a car which is not air-conditioned to take them on their excursion, for instance. When Tina asks her mother to polish her nails for her, Mrs. Das, untouched by her daughter’s pleading, simply tells the girl to leave her alone. Though Mr. Kapasi once believed in the healing potential of language, the tensions that characterize the communication between the Dases suggest the ways in which language can heighten, rather than resolve, conflict and disagreement.

Despite Mr. Kapasi’s talent for languages, it’s clear that he has trouble interpreting and understanding his relationship to Mrs. Das, even though they both speak English. Mr. Kapasi fixates on Mrs. Das’s description of his work as an interpreter as “romantic.” He takes her use of this word to indicate the fact that she has more than a friendly interest in him. By the end of the story, however, it becomes clear that Mrs. Das has no romantic interest in Mr. Kapasi at all. Instead, she views him as someone who might help her deal with the guilt that she carries as a result of having an affair. The words that Mrs. Das speaks to Mr. Kapasi, therefore, communicate something other than what he thinks they do. Her flattery is likely an attempt to get what she wants out of him, again suggesting a distinction between language and genuine meaning. 

“The Interpreter of Maladies” works to challenge readers’ understanding of the relationship between language and communication. While the story acknowledges the potential of language as an invaluable means for understanding, it also points to all of the ways in which language falls short in allowing people to communicate effectively. In the end, language is presented as a tool that can both reveal and obscure meaning.