Interpreter of Malaides | Sexy, Interpreter of Maladies: Interpreter of Maladies, A Temporary Matter

Miranda, Dev, Laxmi, wife, and Rohin

Characters

Boston

Where is the story set?

Maps

What is an image seen in the story?

Really nothing

What does Miranda know about India and the culture?

Watching movies and eating the food

How does Miranda attempt to learn about Indian culture?

Her cousin being cheated on

In the beginning of the story, what is Miranda listening to Laxmi complain about?

The man she's having an affair with

Who is Dev?

He is old fashioned

What is a belief that Miranda has about Dev, that is ironic?

"you're sexy"

When Miranda and Dev are in the Mapparium, what does he whisper to her?

Hi

What does Miranda say to Dev before he tells her she is sexy in the Mapparium?

Tries to dress sexy

In attempt to catch Dev's attention when his wife returns, what does Miranda do that is out of character for her?

Informality

What is the purpose of pointing out that Dev is wearing sweats and sneakers when Miranda is dressed "sexy"?

After watching Robin (and seeing how their actions effected him)

When does Miranda decide to officially end things with Dev?

Bengali

What is Dev's ethnic background?

Creams & Topical Ointments

What was Dev shopping for when he ran into Miranda?

Madhuri Dixit

Who does Dev's wife resemble? according to Dev?

Rohin

What is the name of the little boy Miranda babysits?

12 Minutes

How long are Dev's naps?

An everlasting monument of love

How does Laxmi describe the Taj Mahal?

Mapparium

Where does Miranda learn more geography?

the driver

Mr Kapasi- he is also the tour guide

the family & setting

-made up of Mr. & Mrs. Das: originally from India, live in New Brunswick NJ

-they're visiting India w/ their kids & are currently touring

What first scene in this story shows how dysfunctional the family is?

their daughter needed to go to the bathroom, & the couple bickered over who takes her. Mrs. Das gave in when Mr. Das pointed out he gave her a bath the night before

How were Ronny & Bobby fooling around?

they were tryna feed a goat a piece of gum

Mrs. Das

first name Mina

-she's a diva

Mr Das

first name Raj

-middle school science teacher

What animal is widespread?

monkeys (referred to as the hanuman)

What weird thing did Mr. Das have the desire to do?

take a picture of a barefoot, emaciated homeless man

What does Mrs. Das yell at her daughter about?

Mrs. Das was doing her nails & when her daughter asked, she wouldn't do them saying "you'll mess me up"

How does Mr. Kapasi see the couple?

they act like immature siblings

Mr. Kapasi's actual job

-he works as an interpreter for patients in a doctor office

-Mrs. Das finds his job to be "so romantic" & full of mystery

-Mr. Kapasi actually wanted to be an interpreter for diplomats because of the incredible # of foreign langs he used to know

Why did Kapasi start working as an interpreter in a doctor's office?

-when his son (now dead) got typhoid, he took on a lot of debt tryna take care of son so he worked in the dr. office to make up debt

-the doctor paid him 2x as much as he earned working as an english teacher at grammar school

-his wife doesn't like his job cuz it reminds her too much of their dead son

What does Mrs. Das do that Kapasi may have taken the wrong way?

she starts seeming more interested in him

-asks him to eat lunch w/ family, take photos w/ them

-she asks & gets his address from him to send the photos to him (which Kapasi calculates exactly when they'd arrive)

Where were they touring that day?

Konark & the Sun temple

-in order to make the day w/ Mrs Das last longer, he takes them to visit these hills w/ monkeys

What about his wife hasn't Kapasi experienced?

he hasn't seen her fully naked

What crazy stuff does Mrs Das tell Kapasi?

-that Bobby isn't Raj's son: she's kept this a secret for 8 years

-she had sex w/ Raj's Punjabi friend & this is the father of Bobby

-Mrs Das confided in Kapasi because of his interpreter "talents": that she always feels terrible & wants to leave everything behind

-Kapasi feels high key insulted cuz he uses his interpreter skills to help ppl w/ actual problems they're dying from: so he basically tells her you're just guilty

What big mistake does Mrs. Das do at the hills they visit?

she started spilling tufts of rice near Bobby

-this caused Bobby to get attacked by a group of monkeys & Kapasi is forced to save him

-when Kapasi was next to Bobby, he realized he could screw this family by whispering to Bobby the secrets Mrs Das told him

What very last thing happens in the story?

Mrs. Das's slip of paper w/ Kapasi's address floats away

Shoba and Shukumar have kept their secrets for a long time. Revealing their secrets give them some relief. Do you feel relief after you tell a secret? Why or why not?

It depends on the secret, if the secret is something that I was keeping from people then yes I feel relief after telling the secret. But if the secret was something other people did not really need to know then I don't necessarily feel relief after telling it.

How has Shoba and Shukumar's relationship changed in the last six months? Explain.

There relationship has changed as they went from talking to each other and constantly building on their relationship. To not talking at all and now keeping secrets from each other in the course of six months.

Shoba (use to be)

Very organized

Always prepared

Dressed nicely

Put shoes and coat away in closet

Shoba (now)

Not organized

Not always prepared

Doesn't dress nicely

Leaves shoes and coat on the ground

Shukumar (use to be)

Very interested in the drawing/coloring that Shoba did

Persistent and works hard in graduate school

Loved to hangout with Shoba

Shukumar (now)

Doesn't want to hangout with Shoba

Not interested in her drawing

Lazy and doesn't work hard to complete graduate school

There are definite cultural differences between the Shoba's mother and Shukumar. There are also differences in the way that Shoba and Shukumar were raised. What do these differences tell you about the way each of these characters have assimilated into the United States?

That each of these characters have combined their ideas and the ideas in the united states to make new ideas for themselves and to work towards being better at those things.

How has the lights going out temporarily and playing the game Shoba used to play when visiting her grandmother's house in India affect Shoba and Shukumar's relationship? Explain.

This affects Shoba and Shukumar relationship because they come up with the idea of telling their secrets to each other. This could have a good or bad affect on their relationship. But they could also end up hurting each other even more depending on the secret.

Shoba is the one who comes up with playing the game of telling each other secrets in the dark. Why does she decide on playing that particular game? What is her ultimate purpose?

She decides to play that particular game because Shukumar was telling her about his family used to make them say something when the power went out. Her ultimate purpose is to hear what he has been hiding from her.

First Night Shoba's Secret

-Looked at Sukumar's Address book to see if she was written down in it.

-The importance of this secret is. It shows that she lied to him and invaded his personal space.

First Night Shukumar's Secret

-On there first date he forgot to tip the waiter because he had a funny feeling distraction that he might marry Shoba. He went back the next morning to tip the waiter.

-This is important because it shows how in love he was with her. So cute

Second Night Shoba's Secret

-she told him she had to stay late at work and instead she went out with a friend (gillian) when his mom was there.

-This is important because she avoid something that she should have gone too. She lied and sounds like she doesn't have trust in their relationship

Second Night Shukumar's Secret

-He cheated on a final history exam in college because he couldn't remember the answer and it was right after his father had passed away.

-This is important because he had held onto that for all these years and now it was out. It had nothing to do anything with their relationship. Embarrassing

Third Night Shoba's Secret

Let him go and talk to a chairman from his department without telling him that he had food on his chin b/c she was mad at him.

-this is important because it shows that she has gotten mad at him and done things that aren't necessary and is embarrassing to him. Also hurting yourself suppose to be working together.

Third Night Shukumar's Secret

-Told her how he had exchanged a sweater that she had gotten him for their wedding anniversary and not lost it. For money.

-This is important because now instead of lying to her about a sweater he told her what actually happened and she will know for next time.

Fourth night Shoba's Secret

She told him that she did not like the poem he published.

-This is important to express your real opinions in a relationship because otherwise this can cause problems later on. Just keep it to yourself. (mean)

Fourth Night Shukumar's Secret

-Told her about the picture of the women that he had ripped out of a magazine and kept with him for a week.

-This is important to tell her so that she knows that he has looked at other girls before. Weird. Never tell.

Fifth Night Shoba's Secret

-She told them that she had found an apartment to spend some time alone.

-This is important because it shows that all of her secrets were leading up to the fact that she needed some time alone and their relationship was falling apart.

Fifth Night Shukumar's Secret

-He told her that he had held there dead baby in his arms and that it was a boy.

-This is important for her to know because now she knows the sex of her baby. Also now he doesn't have to hold onto it alone.

Shukumar has kept the secret of the baby's sex to himself "because he still loved her then, and it was the one thing in her life that she had wanted to be a surprise". Why does he decide to tell Shoba this secret on the fifth night?

He decides to tell her on the fifth night because she had decide to have some time alone and wanted her to know that before she left.

What are some important symbols in the story? What do you think they symbolize?

Dark-symbolizes safety and a safe place where they can talk and have a happy and healthy relationship.

Baby-symbolizes the end of their relationship. Also their love for each other.

Secrets- symbolizes the love they have and how they have protected each other thru these secrets

What is significant about the setting of the story? Is there anything important about the time of year?

The setting of the story is important because it helps you identify their different cultures but it a new area of america. It's significant that its march 19 because it's shifting from winter to spring- symbolic of a new beginning.

Perfect forea for telling her secret of wanting to spend some time alone

What do you think is the author's purpose (the theme) of writing the story?

I think the author's purpose or theme of the story is to be honest in a relationship and don't be afraid to show your true emotions and opinions.

At the end of "A Temporary Matter," Shoba turns off the lights, goes "back to the table and sat down, and after a moment Shukumar joined her. They wept together for the things they now knew". Continue their story. Write the next twenty-four hours of Shoba and Shukumar's lives.

They continue to sob for the next couple of hours. Eventually their eyes become tired and their heads begin to sink. They fall asleep to the sound of each other crying at the kitchen table. When they wake up they sit in silence for a while. Until they both look at each other and say I love you.