Plot 4. Interpreter of Maladies

"The slip of paper with Mr. Kapasi's address on it fluttered away in the wind." pg. 166

I think there were two central conflicts in this story. Both of which were internal. One was Mrs. Das's struggle to deal with her guilt of cheating on her husband and having an illegitimate child. The other is Mr. Kapasi's fantasy like desire towards Mrs. Das. I sympathize with Mrs. Das because she has no one to confide in. She has to live with her guilt and has no one to help her deal with it. I don't sympathize with Mr. Kapasi on the other hand though. I find him to be pathetic. He becomes overwhelmingly infatuated with Mrs. Das when she is simply gives him a little attention. I feel like he made every encounter they had more significant than it really was. I'm glad that Mrs. Das and Mr. Kapasi never got involved. I felt like that was what the suspense of the story was leading to, but I'm glad it wasn't. I think once Mrs. Das learns to deal with her guilt, she will begin to love her children and husband again. I also hope Mr. Kapasi finds something more meaningful in his life.