Interpreter of Maladies - Section 2 - through "Sexy"

[Tamara]

Discuss through the end of the chapter titled "Sexy". Please place spoilers under a cut. Happy reading!

[Tamara]

I absolutely loved The Real Durwan in this section. i found it to be reminiscent of the fable "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" in that Boori Ma was always saying things that no one believed, and then when they needed to believe her, they didn't. I always thought it was interesting that competition in material goods spiraled and escalated so quickly in the story and ended up in such disaster. I was glad to get characters that were not American in this story and to have a glimpse of Indian characters.

[Nicqui]

It was astonishing to me how fast the entire building turned on her when they were robbed. All this time, she had been loyal to the building and it's residents and suddenly she is the reason they got robbed.

[Irene]

I expected that stories set in India would depict tight-knit, supportive communities while those set in America would show characters rather isolated, set adrift. But, this one gave us a tight knit community in all its destructive potential. Tight-knit does not mean supportive. People turn quickly.

[Tamara]

Nicqui, yes it was so quick! I guess because it was her "job" to guard the building as the durwan they felt she was responsible for the robbing.

Irene, I can see how one would have those preconceived notions. It's funny how literature can be so different from what we thought we knew.