Jhumpa Lahiri is a sexist. In three of her stories, A Temporary Matter, Interpreter of Maladies and Sexy, she portrays men negatively. She portrays them in different negative lights, but in all cases their bad traits shine through more brightly than any other.
In A Temporary Matter Shukumar is a weak, brooding man. He is depressed and he is not there for his wife in a time of shared pain and selfishly focuses on his own pain. He is blind or unconcerned that his marriage has disintegrated in front of him.
Mr. Kapasi is the center of Interpreter of Maladies. He is old and discontent. He dreams of being unfaithful to his wife. He fantasizes about a woman whom seems pretty but not stunning. He is like a small child.
In Sexy Dev is a voracious womanizer. He woos Miranda, who is portrayed as naive and guiltless in the affair. Dev comes and goes throughout the story without mention of his emotions. He is cold and calculated, shrewd and distant.
In short, Lahiri is a sexist.
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Sadly, I agree. Although the male character in the "Third and Final Continent" wasn't entirely useless or evil.
ReplyDeleteYou forgot to talk about the distant and emotionally clueless husband in the story about learning to drive. I forgot the title.
^I guess you're talking about Mrs. Sen's?
ReplyDeleteHow was Mr. Kapasi dreaming about being unfaithful to his wife? I find it that way at all.