Ess.ay 3 with Outline

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Discussion Post for "Sexy" And "This Blessed House"

One theme that recurs in the two stories "Sexy" and "This Blessed House" in Lahiri's Interpreter of Maladies is identity. In "This Blessed House," Twinkle's strong and willful identity contrasts with Sanjeev's lack of a clear identity. Twinkle is proud of her identity as a Christian, wants to display her religious artifacts throughout their home, while Sanjeev is uncomfortable with this display, and wants to hide it. The contrast is shown when Twinkle says, "I want it all out. Let it stay out. Forever and Sanjeev responds, "Forever? That's a long time" (Lahiri, 2000, p. 31). Twinkle's identity is also reinforced by her sense of self-worth, which is demonstrated when she declares, "I'm not going to apologize for who I am" (Lahiri, 2000, p. 33).

In contrast, the theme of identity is presented differently in "Sexy." Miranda's lack of a clear identity is evident in her relationships with both her husband and Dev, the young Indian man who visits her. Miranda is unsure of her feelings for her husband and feels like she is losing her sense of self, as shown when she says, "I feel like I'm losing something" (Lahiri, 2000, p. 79). The lack of identity is also reflected in her relationship with Dev. It is characterized by her inability to communicate her feelings and her tendency to mold herself to his desires.

Lahiri may have chosen to place "Sexy" as the central story in the text because it serves as a pivot point between stories that explore the various ways that identity can be expressed or lost. "This Blessed House " focuses on how identity can be expressed through religious and cultural artifacts. In "Sexy," the focus is on the loss of identity that can occur through relationships and the inability to communicate. By placing "Sexy" in the center of the text, Lahiri highlights how the characters in the other stories struggle with identity issues and emphasizes the importance of communication and self-expression in establishing and maintaining a clear sense of self.

In terms of the collection's structure, it could be considered cyclic, with "Sexy" serving as a central point that connects the various stories. All the above emphasizes the theme of identity as a recurring issue explored in different ways throughout the collection.

References

Lahiri, J. (1999). Interpreter of maladies: Stories. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.