Essay #1- Interpreter of Maladies and The Yellow Wallpaper

The Pattern of Misconception and Misinterpretation

The Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri, and The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins-Gilman are two examples of how people make false interpretations and perceive situations wrongfully. The theme in these stories is misconception and misinterpreting, which are used throughout the stories and lead to hurt and disappointment. The song Born in the U.S.A. by Bruce Springsteen is also an example that shows the theme of misconception and misinterpreting. Everyone forms misconceptions and misinterprets things incorrectly on a regular basis.  

Misconceptions and misinterpretations happen on a regular basis in The Interpreter of Maladies. Mr. Kapasi incorrectly assumed that Mr. Das was born in India. Mr. Kapasi asked, “You left India as a child?” (Lahiri 45). This was a misconception by Mr. Kapasi. When Mr. Kapasi explained to Mrs. Das about his job as an interpreter, she was aroused and said, “But so romantic” (Lahiri 50). Mr. Kapasi thought that Mrs. Das was giving him verbal and behavioral cues that she was interested in him, and he began to fantasize about her. Mrs. Das wanted to hear more about his job at the doctor’s office, and showed him how impressed she was by stating “So these patients are totally dependent on you” (Lahiri 51). Mr. Kapasi created a non-existent relationship in his mind between him and Mrs. Das. When Mrs. Das asked for his address to send him copies of the photos she took, he started to imagine they would start a relationship. Mr. Kapasi thought “In time, she would reveal the disappointment of her marriage, and he his” (Lahiri 55). He thought they would write letters from India to America and form a relationship. Mr. Kapasi thought “In its own way this correspondents would fulfill his dream, of serving as an interpreter between nations” (Lahiri 59). Mr. Kapasi thought that if he made the tour last a little longer, he could talk to Mrs. Das some more so he suggested they go to another nearby tourist site to see it. Mr. Kapasi fantasized he would talk to her and “perhaps he would tell her what a pleasing smile she had” (Lahiri 60). Mrs. Das thought that because Mr. Kapasi was an interpreter, he could make her feel better, so she told him she had an affair on her husband with his friend that resulted in a child that was not his. Mrs. Das said “I was hoping you could help me feel better, say the right thing. Suggest some kind of remedy” (Lahiri 65). Mr. Kapasi, at that point, realized he didn’t really mean anything to her. In addition to The Interpreter of Maladies, The Yellow Wallpaper contains many misconceptions and misinterpretations throughout the story.

In the Yellow Wallpaper, the author’s husband, John, is under the misconception that she needs to rest because of the rest cure. According to the studies of that time, she was ill with temporary nervous depression from having a baby. John, her brother, and her doctor wanted her to sit or lay around and do nothing. The author is aware of their misconception, but cannot express her feelings toward it because they did not listen to her. The author wrote “Personally, I believe that congenial work, with excitement and change, would do me good” (Perkins-Gillman 316). The author wanted to move their bedroom to the one downstairs because she liked it better. The husband disagreed with this and forced her to sleep upstairs with the ugly yellow wallpaper because he was under the misconception it would only be beneficial for her. He said, “There was only one window and not room for two beds, and no near room for him if he took another” (Perkins-Gillman 317). The ugly yellow wallpaper actually made her worse. The author began to get delusional by seeing a woman behind the wall paper creeping around. She wanted her husband to take her out of that house, but he said no. He wanted to see her as being well, and he said, “You are gaining flesh and color, your appetite is better, I feel really much easier about you” (Perkins-Gillman 322). Meanwhile, his misinterpretation ignored the fact that she was losing her mind.

 Furthermore, misconceptions and misinterpretations are found in popular music today. An example of the theme of misconception and misinterpretation in the media is Bruce Springsteen’s famous hit single Born in the U.S.A. written in 1984. This song was intended solely as a criticism of the Vietnam War because Bruce didn’t like the war. Ronald Reagan and Bob Dole even were fooled by the song, thinking it was patriotic and used it for their campaign while running for their political positions. The lyric “I was born in the U.S.A.” (Bruce 1984) was taken as a patriotic proclamation instead it was not so. To show his dislike of the Vietnam War Bruce sang, “So they put a rifle in my hand.  Sent me off to a foreign land. To go and kill the yellow man” (Bruce 1984). Today when Bruce sings this song in concert people mistakenly cheer because they think it is an anthem to the U.S.A.

The short stories The Interpreter of Maladies, and The Yellow Wallpaper, and the song Born in the U.S.A are examples of how people misconceive and misinterpret situations based on their own perceptions. The characters in the stories are either guilty of misconceptions or they are victims of them. The song Born in the U.S.A. is an example of how an intended meaning can be taken to mean the complete opposite. False interpretations lead to unintended meanings and wrong viewpoints that can be hurtful to others. It can lead to disappointment because it is not what someone expected.  Everyone forms misconceptions and misinterprets things incorrectly on a regular basis.

Works Cited

Lahiri, Jhumpa. “Interpreter of Maladies: Stories”. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1999. Print.

Perkins-Gilman, C. “The Yellow Wallpaper”. The Norton Introduction to Literature. Ed.

            Allison Booth, Kelly J. Mays. New York, NY, 2006. 1165-1238. Print.

Santillano, Vicki. “Eight Commonly Misinterpreted Songs” Divine Caroline. 09 April 2012.

Web. Jan. 2009. <Http://www.divinecaroline.com/122444/63893-eight-commonly-misinterpreted-songs#ixzz1rqBe6q9n>.