1.THE HOBBIT by J.R.

R Tolkein

(ACTION AND ADVENTURE)

SUMMARY

 Hobbits, a small humanoid race famed for their calm, simplicity, and warm homes, are also
capable of incredible bravery and ingenuity. The Hobbit’s hesitant hero, Bilbo Baggins, is
persuaded to join Thorin and his 12 dwarfs in regaining their stolen riches from the dragon
Smaug. During the journey, Bilbo discovers a magical ring that turns the wearer invisible, and
this ring is important in The Lord of the Rings. The Hobbit tells the story of Bilbo Baggins’
metamorphosis from a seeker of warmth and comfort to a humble fighter for the greater good.

THEME

 Portrays the transformation of an ordinary person into a hero. Bilbo is timid, cozy, and
complacent in his secure little burrow at Bag End at the start of the novel.

CONFLICT

 Bilbo is a joyful hobbit who enjoys the simple things in life. Gandalf’s request for Bilbo’s
assistance in recovering the dwarfs’ wealth is almost too much to ask. Bilbo’s reluctance,
complacency, and shyness are the source of the fundamental conflict. He refuses to leave his
comfort zone and face the challenges that lie beyond the Shire. As Bilbo’s character and resolve
are tested, he demonstrates that he is brave, self-assured, and loyal.

SYMBOLISM

 How a person’s integrity might help them resist life’s temptations and avoid greed and evil.

2.THE POETS LAUREATE by Elizabeth Hun Schmidt’s

(ANTHOLOGY)

SUMMARY

 The Poets Laureate Anthology, edited by Elizabeth Hun Schmidt and foreword by Billy Collins, is
an ideal collection for poetry fans as well as those just starting out. The book includes a selection
of poems from each of the 43 states in the United States. Poets Laureate who served from 1937
to 2010, beginning with the most recent poet laureate and working backwards. The foreword by
Billy Collins, who discusses how various poets laureate used the position to raise public
awareness of poetry or kept out of the public eye, given that they are under no obligation to
write poems, is one of the most interesting parts of The Poets Laureate Anthology.

THEME

 The themes are honored for achievement and love.

CONFLICT

 The conflict is many people avoid reading poetry because they think it doesn’t speak to them or
is too hard.

SYMBOLISM

 The Poets Laureate Anthology symbolizes a poetry collection for everyone. Many people avoid
reading poetry because they think it doesn’t speak to them or is too hard

3.TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee

(CLASSIC)

SUMMARY

 Scout, is the protagonist of To Kill a Mockingbird. Scout and her brother Jem try to understand
and relate to their father, Atticus, who is a lawyer accused of falsely accusing a black man of
raping a white woman.

THEME

 To Kill a Mockingbird has many themes. Three of the most recognizably prominent ones are
prejudice (particularly racism), justice (particularly how it coincides with and differs from the
law), and good versus evil.

CONFLICT

 To Kill a Mockingbird has two major conflicts. The first is the Tom Robinson case, in which Tom
Robinson is accused by Mayella Violet Ewell’s father, Robert Ewell, of raping her. The second
major conflict involves Arthur Radley, also known as Boo Radley. Throughout the story, the
Finch children try to get Boo Radley out of his house so they can play with him. They’ve had
several close encounters with the man, but they never meet him until he defends them against
Bob Ewell.

SYMBOLISM

 The novel employs a number of symbols, one of which is the word “mockingbird,” which comes
to represent the concept of innocence. To kill a mockingbird is thus to destroy innocence.
Throughout the novel, several characters (Jem, Tom Robinson, Dill, Boo Radley, and Mr.
Raymond) are identified as mockingbirds—innocents who have been harmed or destroyed by
evil.

4. V FOR VENDETTA by Alan Moore

(COMIC AND GRAPHIC NOVEL)

SUMMARY

 The story takes place in England, in 1997. V is a man always dressed in a costume with a cloak,
hat, wig and mask. He is skilled in martial arts and in stealth. One of the means by which he does
this is by blowing up government buildings. With Evey in his charge, he does everything he can
 to educate her and pass along his message. After he dies, she takes his place as a revolutionary
determined to spark the people into action.

THEME

 There are a lot of themes in V for Vendetta, such as freedom and its relationship with anarchy,
or the absence of government.

CONFLICT

 The main conflict of the story is V’s mission to avenge the Norsefire party’s atrocities while
simultaneously reducing the government to ruins in the hopes that anarchy will thrive in the
ruins, bringing back the eradicated principles of individualism and culture.

SYMBOLISM

 V for Vendetta contains a lot of symbolism, such as the Guy Fawkes Mask that V wears; it has
become more than just a symbol in this graphic novel; it has been adopted as a symbol of
protest around the world. The computer hacking group, Anonymous, adopted the mask as their
symbol after being inspired by the comic. Also, V’s name is derived from the Roman numeral for
five, representing the room number where he stayed when he was imprisoned in a resettlement
camp and subjected to medical experiments. Aside from this, Lady Justice is invested with
historical symbolism as a representation of the solidity, constancy, and dependability of the law
to ensure justice. 

5. SHERLOCK HOLMES by Arthur Conan Doyle

(CRIME AND DETECTIVE)

SUMMARY

 Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and Dr. John Watson (Jude Law) have just arrested the vile
mastermind behind the death of at least five women in London, Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong).
But when news of Blackwood’s resurrection days after he was hanged breaks out, Sherlock
Holmes must follow the string of murders that ensues while simultaneously dealing with the
possibility of no longer having his trusted partner by his side when Dr. Watson becomes
engaged.
With the return of his former lover and world-class cat thief, Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams),
Sherlock must put an end to whatever nefarious plans Lord Blackwood has from beyond the
grave and the impending doom that precedes it.

CONFLICT

 The main conflict is lawlessness versus justice. In the end, justice wins.

THEME

 For me the themes are justice, forgiveness, respect and reputation.

SYMBOLISM
  For me Sherlock Holmes’s The pentacle (a five pointed star in a circle) is a very real occult
symbol, and the rituals enacted have very real parallels to witchcraft and satanism.

6.WAITING FOR GODOT by Samuel Beckett

(DRAMA)

SUMMARY

 The two main characters, Vladimir and Estragon, spend the entirety waiting for the elusive
Godot, who never appears. As they wait, the two men discuss various topics, from the inane to
the intellectual. They also encounter an old man named Pozzo and his slave, Lucky. At the end a
boy arrives and informs Vladimir and Estragon that Godot will not be coming.

THEME

 For me themes includes are human condition, absurdism, nihilism, and friendship.

CONFLICT

 For me the conflict is found in the internal, in which the characters want to wait for Godot to
come. But, the messenger comes and tells them that Godot will not come that night and that he
will come tomorrow, but he never comes.

SYMBOLISM

 The symbolism can be found in the name of Godot, whose name evokes a similarity to God.
In this reading, Godot symbolizes the salvation that religion promises but which never comes
(just as Godot never actually comes to Vladimir and Estragon). Also, the tree symbolizes a place
of security for Vladimir and Estragon, because it is where they spend all of their time waiting for
Godot. The tree also symbolizes Vladimir and Estragon’s dedication to their supposed purpose
of one day hopefully meeting Godot.

7.THE FOX AND THE GRAPES by Aesop

(FABLE)

SUMMARY

 A fox sees a clump of grapes hanging from a tree and decides to eat them to quench his thirst.
He tries to jump and retrieve the grapes, but they are out of reach. Eventually, it determines
that the grapes must be sour and walks away.

THEME

 For me, the theme of the story is that you need to have hard work in life. It’s because nothing
comes easily without hard work. So, work hard and achieve your goals.

CONFLICT

 The story concerns a fox that tries to eat grapes from a vine but cannot reach them.
SYMBOLISM

 For me, the grapes symbolize our dreams, needs, or wants in our life, and we know sometimes
those are hard to achieve if we don’t make an effort. Also, the fox symbolizes us in that
sometimes we are tired and give up trying to reach them.

8. FANGIRL by Rainbow Rowell

(FANTASY)

SUMMARY

 Cath Avery is Wren Avery’s twin sister.The story is about Cath’s journey as she and her sister
step into college life. Wren wishes to live her life detached from Cath, the two sisters having
been completely inseparable up to that point. Being an introvert, Cath finds herself resisting this
change.As someone who prefers books over human company, Cath likes to spend her time
writing fan fiction, not socializing. As a direct consequence of losing her only friend on campus,
Cath ends up meeting new people and eventually learns to find love outside of her novels.

THEME

 There are many themes in the story, such as the fear of making new friends and the changing of
relationships with people as you progress in life.Also, it explains the importance of not changing
yourself but growing.

CONFLICT

 The conflict is that Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from the fandom, but Cath can’t let go.
She doesn’t want to. Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to
be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone.

SYMBOLISM

 For me, the symbolism of the story is Cath’s fanfiction, in which this is a symbol for her love of
writing and fictional worlds, but it also represents how she likes to escape the outside world.
She has social anxiety and is very introverted, and her fan fiction represents her desire to escape
from a world that makes her uncomfortable to one that she loves. It also represents her love of
words, because writing is something that she loves to do, and she’s given a ton of time to her
fan fiction.

9.A GAME OF THRONES by George R.R. Martin

SUMMARY

 Several noble houses fight a civil war over who should be king, while an exiled princess tries to
find her place in the world, and the kingdom is threatened by some rising supernatural threat in
the north.
THEME

 Themes for me include power, betrayal, family, and justice.

CONFLICT

 For me, the conflict is the civil war between five rival kingdoms in a mass of land that
unsurprisingly looks very much like England.

SYMBOLISM

 The throne represents the difficulty of ruling and the brutality necessary to gain power. It also
represents the king’s power over his adversaries, specifically his military power.

10.A TALE OF TWO CITIES by Charles Dickens

(HISTORICAL FICTION)

SUMMARY

 Jarvis Lorry visits Paris in order to reunite Dr. Manette with his long-lost daughter, Lucie.Lucie
marries Charles Darnay, who admits to Dr. Manette that he is a member of the French
aristocracy. When Darnay returns to Paris to save a former servant, he is arrested and
sentenced to death. Sydney Carton, who resembles Darnay, trades places with him in prison and
dies on the guillotine in his place.

THEME

 For me the themes are resurrection, self-sacrifice and selfishness, and revolution and
retribution.

CONFLICT

 The conflict between Charles Darnay’s desire to break free of his family legacy and Madame
Defarge’s desire to hold him accountable for the violent actions of his father and uncle

SYMBOLISM

 The guillotine is the ultimate symbol of death, injustice, and revenge. Also, France symbolizes
utter chaos, loss of humanity, and violence. Aside from this, the Bastille was the symbol of
tyranny and cruelty of aristocracy and government of the King Louis XVI.

11. THE SHINING by Stephen King

(HORROR)

SUMMARY

 The Shining centers on the life of Jack Torrance, a struggling writer and recovering alcoholic who
accepts a position as the off-season caretaker of the historic Overlook Hotel in the Colorado
 Rockies. At the end of the novel, Jack has ignored the boiler for too long, and the hotel explodes.
After telling Wendy and Danny to get out, Jack tries to relieve the pressure in the boiler, fails,
gets caught in the explosion, and dies.

CONFLICT

 Even before he is possessed, there is constant conflict between Jack and Wendy because he has
anger issues and a tendency to be violent when he has consumed too much alcohol.Later, the
primary conflict is between the hotel and Danny as it tries to possess him, but he stands up to
the threat.

THEMES

 For me, the themes are jealousy, insanity, abuse, and addiction.

SYMBOLISM

 The symbolism that I notice is “redrum,” which is a word that Danny first sees prior to the family
moving to the hotel. He sees it in his mind, written in various mirrors. For the majority of the
book, he doesn’t know what the word means. It is later revealed that the word is murder spelled
backward. Also, the wasps’ nest that Jack finds and then gives to his son Danny is symbolic of
the unexpected dangers in the hotel.

12. GOOD OMENS by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

(HUMOR)

SUMMARY

 It is about the birth of the son of Satan and the coming of the End Times. There are attempts by
the angel Aziraphale and the demon Crowley to sabotage the coming of the end times, having
grown accustomed to their comfortable surroundings in England.

THEME

 For me, the themes involved good versus evil and how they can sometimes collide when it
comes to the greater good.

CONFLICT

 The conflict is character vs. God conflict, which is represented by Adam’s internal struggle
between his responsibilities as the Antichrist and doing what he knows to be right, even if it
changes the course of fate.

SYMBOLISM

 The symbolism is the Eden place where Aziraphale and Crowley meet at the beginning of time,
as rain makes its first appearance on the planet.
13.THE SONG OF ACHILLES by Madeline Miller

(LEGEND)

SUMMARY

 Patroclus and Achilles, two Greek princes, grow up in Phthia together and become inseparable,
eventually falling in love.When Achilles is summoned to fight in the Trojan War, Patroclus goes
with him and serves as a healer for the Greek army. After Patroclus is killed by the Trojan prince
Hector, Achilles kills Hector, only to be killed in turn by Hector’s brother Paris. Patroclus and
Achilles are reunited in the underworld.

THEME

 The main themes in The Song of Achilles are reputation and pride, political and social
expectations, and fate and divine power.

CONFLICT

 The major conflict of the novel is that Patroclus and Achilles are trying to escape, or at least put
off, Achilles’ fated death during the Trojan war..

SYMBOLISM

 The symbols can be found are lyre represents innocence, which Achilles and Patroclus must
eventually cast aside. Also, Achille’s handmade ash spear represents his inhumanity, which will
always be part of him due to his inevitable.

14.THE HOUSE OF SPIRITS by Isabelle Allende

(MAGICAL REALISM)

SUMMARY

 The House of the Spirits is a family saga that spans four generations but focuses primarily on the
lives of two women in the clan, Clara del Valle and Alba de Satigny, and the connection between
them. In the end, Esteban Trueba dies. Alba is not, however, the last living member of her
family: she is pregnant. The father of her unborn child may be Miguel, or it may be one of the
men who raped her while she was detained.

THEMES

 For me the themes involve are violence and suffering, struggle between the class, family and
politics.
CONFLICT

 The conflict arises when a party gains power and conservatives conspire against it.By the twelfth
chapter of the novel, the socialist movement has gathered enough momentum to challenge the
conservatives of the country. The Socialist candidate wins the presidential election and the
social reforms his party enacts promise to benefit the poor underclass. However, the
Conservative Party enlists the help of foreign intelligence agencies and their own military in
order to destabilize the new government. Once again, we have characters on both sides of the
conflict—Alba, Miguel, Jaime, and Pedro Tercero, for example, are elated by the Socialist
victory, while Esteban hatches plots against the President with fellow conservatives.

SYMBOLISM

 The symbols can be found in Clara’s notebook, and these notebooks represent the importance
of recording history and preserving the past.Also, the birds in cages represent the oppression of
women in patriarchal society.

15.ANGELS AND DEMONS by Dan Brown

(MYSTERY)

SUMMARY

World-renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned to a Swiss research facility to

analyze a cryptic symbol seared into the chest of a murdered physicist. What he discovers is
unimaginable: a deadly vendetta against the Catholic Church by a centuries-old underground
organization — the Illuminati.

In a desperate race to save the Vatican from a powerful time bomb, Langdon joins forces in Rome with
the beautiful and mysterious scientist Vittoria Vetra.

They embark on a frantic hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, and deserted cathedrals, as
well as into the depths of the world’s most secretive vault, the long-forgotten Illuminati lair.

CONFLICT

 The central philosophical conflict in Angels & Demons revolves around the tension between
faith and science. Its resolution ultimately delivers a positive message about the relationship
between these two disciplines, namely that they’re both necessary and can peacefully coexist.

THEMES

 For me, the themes are religion versus science, skepticism versus faith, and the hold that
powerful people and institutions have over the people they supposedly serve.

SYMBOLISM

 For me the symbols involved are The Catholic church represents a particular belief system. Also,
the Illuminati literally means “the enlightened,” and hence the learned ones. But, the term can
also be understood as “belonging to Lucifer,” thus creating ambiguity about people in science
and their motivations with respect to religion.
16. THE GOLDEN FLEECE by Homer

(MYTHOLOGY)

SUMMARY

Jason arrives in Iolcus with a game plan: to reclaim the throne stolen from his father by his uncle
Pelias.King Pelias says he’s down to give up the throne… so long as Jason brings him the Golden
Fleece. Which is held in the faraway land of Colchis, a.k.a. not something you can just pick up at
the local Walmart. Jason accepts the quest anyway and assembles the most star-studded team
of heroes Greece has ever seen to go on the quest with him aboard the magical ship, the Argo.
Jason and the Argonauts have tons of adventures on the way to Colchis, like battling harpies and
giants and stuff like that. When they finally arrive in Colchis, King Aetes says that Jason can have
the fleece just as long as he completes three nearly impossible tasks. With the help of Medea,
the daughter of Aetes, Jason completes the tasks, grabs the fleece and Medea, and sails back to
Greece. A few adventures later, Jason and pals are marching into Iolcus with the Golden Fleece.

CONFLICT

 In Jason and the Golden Fleece, the conflict between Jason and his Uncle, Pelias.Jason’s uncle,
Pelias, stole the throne from his father, and Jason returns home in order to take the throne
back. King Pelias agrees to give it back if Jason can manage to bring him the Golden Fleece.

THEME

 The story’s theme is that being greedy always comes back to bite you; it never benefits you.In
the myth, Pelias lets greed and wealth get to him. He sends Jason on the quest only to get rid of
him. However, Jason returns and becomes king, while Pelias ends up dying from his own actions.

SYMBOLISM

 The fleece is a symbol of authority and kingship. It figures in the tale of the hero Jason and his
crew of Argonauts, who set out on a quest for the fleece by order of King Pelias, in order to
place Jason rightfully on the throne of Iolcus in Thessaly. Through the help of Medea, they
acquire the Golden Fleece.

17. THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green

(REALISTIC FICTION)

SUMMARY

 The Fault In Our Stars is a fabulous book about a young teenage girl who has been diagnosed
with lung cancer and attends a cancer support group. Hazel is 16 and is reluctant to go to the
 support group, but she soon realises that it was a good idea. Hazel meets a young boy named
Augustus Waters. They become friends and lovers. Also, Hazel is the one that is doomed to die,
Augustus ends up telling Hazel that at his recent scan, the doctors discovered that his entire
body is filled with cancer. Hazel spends the last months of Augustus’s life caring for him and
loving him.

THEMES

 For me the themes involve are the transience of life, family and support, and love and coming of
age.

CONFLICT

 For me the conflict on the story is that both Hazel Grace and Gus are suffering badly from
cancer, and they are both on the verge of death.

SYMBOLISM

 For me there were several major symbols found in The Fault in Our Stars such as water
symbolizes the fluid that collects in Hazel’s lungs as a result of her cancer. This liquid causes
Hazel a huge amount of suffering in the novel. Also the cigarettes Augustus often puts in his
mouth but doesn’t light represent his attempt to deal with and ideally control the things he
fears.

18.PERFECT CHEMISTRY by Simone Elkele

(ROMANCE)

SUMMARY

 In this novel, Brittany Ellis is the daughter of wealthy parents from the right side of town. She
appears to be a girl who seems to have it all. Alex Fuentes is a poor Mexican boy from the wrong
side of town who becomes a member of the local gang to protect his mother and two little
brothers. When Brittany is forced to partner with Alex Fuentes in Chemistry, it seems that her
dreams of perfect grades and admission to Northwestern will go up in smoke. As time goes by,
Alex begins to get to know Brittany. Brittany discovers the person that Alex is beneath the tough
gangster attitude. Brittany and Alex fall in love with each other. One day, one of the gang
leaders wants Alex to do a drug deal, but he hesitates. It was drugs that ultimately killed Alex’s
father. On the night of the deal, Brittany seduces Alex to keep him from the deal until his friend
Paco can take his place. However, when Alex follows Paco to the drug drop, he discovers it was a
trap to kill Alex. Hector is dead, and Alex is confronted with his father’s killer, fellow gang
member Hector. Alex is shot, but Hector is killed when police arrive.Alex quits the gang and lives
with the consequences. Alex then gets his GED and is accepted to the same school Brittany has
chosen to attend, the University of Colorado. Alex promises to never leave Brittany again and to
ask her to marry her when their college education is done.

THEMES
  The themes of Perfect Chemistry include looking beyond appearances; prejudice; being true to
one’s self; and the courage required to declare an unpopular love.

CONFLICT

 Brittany and Alex have conflicts in their relationship, but they also have conflicts in their
individual lives that often influence their relationship (for example, gangs and family).

SYMBOLISM

 The symbolism involved is that Brittany wears designer clothes that the kids from the south side
of town think she wears to show off her wealth. In truth, Brittany wears the clothes to make her
mother happy and discovers that half the time she fails to do so.

19.ANIMAL FARM by George Orwell

(SATIRE)

SUMMARY

 Mr. Jones, a harsh and drunken farmer, manages Manor Farm. The animals revolt against Mr.
Jones and take over the farm three months later. The name of the farm is changed to “Animal
Farm.” They agree that the farm will now be run entirely by animals, a system they refer to as
“animalism.” They decide to run the farm according to seven commandments, the most
important of which is “All animals are equal.” The phrase “four legs good, two legs bad” became
a popular sheep song. Mr. Jones and his friends attack the farm in an attempt to reclaim it, but
the animals drive them away in the “Battle of the Cowshed.” Mr. Jones flees. They never saw
him again.

THEMES

 Several themes run throughout Animal Farm.Some of the prominent themes include the desire
for power, institutional corruption, class systems, language and propaganda, and totalitarianism.

CONFLICT

 There are three main conflicts in the story, which are between the animals and the humans,
who are in constant disagreement because the animals don’t want to be controlled ever again.
There is a conflict between Napoleon and Snowball, who are always fighting over the well-being
of the farm and each want their own way. The last conflict is between the animals and
themselves because of who they choose to believe: themselves or the pigs, who are constantly
changing the rules to their own benefit.

SYMBOLISM

 The animals represent individuals or groups from Russian history; the farm represents Russia;
and the farms around it represent the European powers that witnessed the Russian
Revolution.Also, whiskey represents corruption. When animalism is founded, one of the
 commandments is: “No animal shall drink alcohol.” Slowly, however, Napoleon and the other
pigs come to enjoy whiskey and its effects. The commandment is changed to “No animal shall
drink alcohol to excess” after Napoleon experiences his first hangover and learns how to
moderate his whiskey consumption. When Boxer is sold to the Knacker, Napoleon uses the
money to purchase whiskey. With this act, Napoleon fully embodies the human qualities that
the animals once revolted against. The Seven Commandments of Animalism, written on the barn
wall for all to see, represent the power of propaganda and the malleable nature of history and
information when the people are ignorant of the facts.

20. DUNE by Frank Herbert

(SCIENCE- FICTION)

SUMMARY

Dune focuses on the story of Paul Atreides, the young heir to House Atreides whose father gets assigned
by Shaddam IV, the Emperor, to govern the planet Arrakis, a desert world with a crucial commodity
called Melange. Obeying the command, Paul’s father, Leto, decides to leave Caladan, his home planet,
for Arrakis. However, Leto is sure his enemies are plotting against him.

He goes to Arrakis and tries to protect his family by joining forces with the Fremen, the original
inhabitants of the planet Arrakis. Though Leto tries to make his plan work, he loses to the House of
Harkonnen after a betrayal by a close ally. Paul and his mother, Jessica, successfully escape the attack by
the Harkonnen. However, the Fremen find them, and after winning a battle, Paul and his mother quickly
get absorbed into the Fremen community, with Jessica becoming a reverend mother and Paul becoming
a recognized religious leader due to a prophecy believed by the Fremen that a messiah with special
powers would lead them to victory against their enemies.

Paul soon discovers he could harness more of his special powers by taking more spices, and after
meeting with allies from the past, he decides to take back what was taken from him by both the
Emperor and the Baron of House Harkonnen. After confronting the Baron and the Emperor, Paul
successfully defeats the armies of both his enemies and later regains what belonged to him.

CONFLICT

 The Harkonnens, led by Baron Harkonnen, want to overthrow the emperor by taking over the
melange supply in Arrakis. Paul, from the opposing house of Atreides, works with the Fremen to
secure Arrakis and the universe from the greedy Harkonnens.

Themes

 For me the themes involve are religion and power.

SYMBOLISM

 For me these are the symbols I observe such as the Melange, the spice drug, is found in limited
quantities on the planet Arrakis and mined by the Fremen.As a symbol, melange represents the
 untapped potential of human perception and brainpower.Also the water often symbolizes life,
birth, or rebirth because of its importance to every kind of life and its use in baptism rituals

21. INTERPRETER OF MALADIES by Jhumpalahiri

(SHORT STORY)

SUMMARY

Mr. and Mrs. Das were on vacation with their children, Ronny, Bobby, and Tina, and they hired a middle-
aged tour guide named Mr. Kapasi to accompany them to Sun Temple. Mr. Kapasi is driving the car
towards the Sun Temple. The car comes to a halt at a tea stall, where Mr. and Mrs. Das were arguing
over who would take Tina to the bathroom. Mrs. Das won the argument and took Tina to the bathroom.
Bobby saw a goat and was overjoyed to give her chewing gum. Mr. Das made no comment, and
according to Mr. Kapasi, they were far too immature to be parents. Mr. Das ate snacks in the car
without offering them to their children or Mrs. Das, and Mrs. Das was painting her nails.

During the journey, Mrs. Das inquires about Mr. Kapasi’s job and family; he informs them that he is
doing this job as a side business because he is a language expert, and Mrs. Das describes it as “romantic”
and a responsible employment. Kapasi developed a love interest in Mrs. Das and contemplated future
correspondence with her, believing that doing so would help maintain their transcontinental divide. The
youngsters request that Mr. Das photograph them with monkies, as they find monkies strange. Mr. Das
extends the invitation to Mrs. Das as well, but she declines due to exhaustion. Mrs. Das is seated in the
first row, next to Mr. Kapasi, and she expresses interest in him as well.Their conversation became
private; when Mr. Das and his children returned to the car, Mr. Kapasi offered them the opportunity to
visit another nearby monarchy as well. They all accepted it. Mrs. Das and Mr. Kapasi were seated on a
stone platform, conversing about their respective families. Mrs. Das informs Mr. Kapasi, pointing to an
erotic structure on the wall, that her son Bobby is not Mr. Das’ kid; he was born out of her adultery
during a visit to their home by one of Mr. Das’ friends. Kapasi’s feelings for her ebbed away as he
listened to her. She told Kapasi this out of deference to his profession since she had become tired of her
spouse, whom she met when she was young. Mrs. Das began coming toward her family, and the
monkies began railing at her for having a rice puff and snacks; they surrounded their son Bobby and
launched attacks in search of food. Mrs. Das shouts for assistance, and Mr. Kapasi rushes toward her,
rescuing Bobby and returning him to his mother to clean up after their son.

THEMES

 For me the themes involve are marriage, family, memory of the past and communication

CONFLICT

 The main conflict is that two people, both married, but very unhappy with their spouse, see
each other in a romantic and refreshing light. Mrs. Das struggles with the fact that she had
cheated on her husband and one of her sons truly belongs to his friend. Mr. Kapasi struggles
with the fact that he does not get much affection or attention from his wife. Mr. Kapasi,
however, sees Mrs. Das is a much more romantic way, whereas she sees him as an escape and
someone to express her grief to.

SYMBOLISM
 For me these are the symbols I observe such as the puffed rice represents Mrs. Das’s mistakes
and careless actions. Also, monkeys represent the dangers that threaten the Das family as a
consequence of Mr. Das and Mrs. Das’s negligence as both parents and partners