Selfish Desires: The Demise of Relationships in Literature

1313 Words3 Pages

Relationships are as essential to humans like any basic necessity such as food or water. Throughout history, relationships have assisted human beings in persevering together through both physical and emotional challenges in life. However, the stability of these relationships are incessantly vulnerable to deterioration. This unfortunate outcome has been investigated in numerous works of literature. In two of such works, “Interpreter of Maladies” published in 1999 by Jhumpa Lahiri and “Aguantado” published in 1996 by Junot Diaz, the authors reveal through various tones as well as diction the respective themes of each story how selfish desires lead to the demise of relationships.
Lahiri, in writing “Interpreter of Maladies”, included elements …show more content…

In “Aguantado”, the main character Yunior’s mother was anticipating the return of her husband from New York back to Santo Domingo where his family lives. However his promise to come back to his wife was not met, Diaz describes her reaction, “When he didn’t show she sent everybody home, sold the goat back to its owner and then almost lost her mind” (82). There is no doubt that Yunior’s mother is beyond disappointed in the realization that her husband would not be returning. While her husband had originally left for work, it was evident that he had abandoned his poor family, living in the states while his family was still stuck in poverty in Santo Domingo. Diaz indicates how this selfish behavior lead to him losing the love of his wife through the phrase “ almost lost her mind”. Not only does this set a tone of loss and misery, something commonly associated the losing of one’s mind, the diction also demonstrates the severe consequences of selfishness.This is especially true when someone who is bound with expectations of a relationship but fail to meet them. If Diaz had left it at simply the fact that her husband did not show, sure it may be implied that Yunior’s mother is disappointed, but the addition of suggesting that she almost lost her mind makes the point of the author as clear as day. Yunior’s father betrayed his wife’s trust, a trust that is

Open Document