Short story Unit: Communicating the culture

Communication and culture, is something that is very prevalent throughout our lives, and often become something of a norm. Both "Hills Like White Elephants" by Ernest Hemingway and "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri have both Communication and Cultural barriers with the relationship between their characters.

In "Hills Like White Elephants" story, the central conflict revolves around the communication breakdown between a man and a woman who are discussing whether or not to have an abortion. The couple struggles to understand each other's perspectives due to differences in language, cultural background, and power dynamics. The story highlights the difficulty of communicating effectively in a relationship when there are barriers to understanding.

Similarly, in "Interpreter of Maladies," Lahiri explores the theme of communication and cultural barriers in the context of a married couple's trip to India. The husband, an Indian-American, struggles to connect with his wife, who is not from the same cultural background. They also face a language barrier, as the husband speaks English while his wife speaks Bengali. Through the story, Lahiri highlights the challenges that arise when trying to communicate across cultural and linguistic differences.

Additionally, there is another theme that is also prevalent within modern society, both stories deal with themes of gender and power dynamics in relationships. In "Hills Like White Elephants," the man holds the power in the relationship due to his dominance in the conversation and decision-making about the abortion. In "Interpreter of Maladies," the husband holds more power in the relationship due to his familiarity with the culture and language of India.

Overall, both stories explore the challenges of effective communication and the barriers that can arise due to cultural and linguistic differences, as well as power dynamics in relationships.