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“Indian Diaspora is a generic term to describe the people who migrated from territories that are currently within the borders of the Republic of India,” (2). In Jhumpa Lahiri’s novel of short stories, Interpreter of Maladies we see this displacement of Indian peoples and their culture manifest in multiple ways. None are so obvious as that displayed in her “Mrs. Sen’s”. This feeling of displacement and phenomenon as newly emigrated Indian peoples move from their homelands to America for multiple reasons, mostly surrounding work and education, as they try and find their place in a new home and culture. Different values and skill sets are required to survive in America then anywhere else and it is a frightening and daunting task.
In Mrs. Sen’s we are privy to the acculturation of a young Indian bride newly arrived in America. She faces multiple hurdles in her new home, not the least of which being her need for work and her inability to drive. Mrs. Sen needs to learn to drive to get anywhere in her new home, whereas in India she had a driver who would take her and servants that would take care of some of the menial tasks. Here she must do for herself. The Diaspora is made increasing difficult due to the lack of certain mainstream stores and items that can be found in India but aren’t traditional in American groceries. Cooking needs to be relearned, as the Indian women need to learn how to cook with materials available, even though they aren’t necessarily the correct ingredients. The difference in clothing and mannerisms are also drastically distinctive. Americans are will skip meals such as Eliot’s mother, where Mrs. Sen s used to making large lunches and smaller dinners. Home cuisine is also more valued versus the pizza Eliot gets most nights.
When Mrs. Sen is speaking to Eliot’s mother she says, “Yes… Everything is there,” (pg. 113, Lahiri). New culture and works aren’t the only things working against the newly arrived, there is also a gut wrenching feeling of isolation as they are no longer surrounded by their people and family. Instead of a tight knit community of friends and family they are set adrift with only themselves and their spouses, and any other Indians they happen to meet in their immediate area. Any attempts to make friends and companions with the native American people is stunted by a stunningly intense cultural barrier. When there are few Indians in the area the feelings of displacement and adrift are intensified, especially after coming from a homeland were you are literally surrounded by family and friends with similar values and beliefs. It becomes daunting and depressing.
The Diaspora is a difficult phenomenon to handle for most emigrants. It can be disheartening as certain cultural mores and norms must be pushed aside to survive. Certain levels of assimilation are required by American culture or the emigrant will not survive, and in older emigrants it is harder to develop new habits and beliefs.
- Lahiri, Jhumpa. Interpreter of Maladies. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1999.
- The Indian Diaspora. NIC. Web. 22 Apr. 2010. http://www.indiandiaspora.nic.in/
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