Translated Life Style: A Semio-phenomenological Analysis of Jhumpa Lahiri's Interpreter of Maladies

Employing a theoretical model that combines elements from phenomenology and smiotics, the present article analyzes the respresntation of the immigrant’s life style in a literary work. After introducing the semio-phenomenological model, a new definition is proposed for “life style”, which is formed in the “intentional” relation between the subject, on the one hand, and objects and actions, on the other, and, thus, imparts signification, value and identity to both sides of the exchange. Accordingly, in order to analyze the life style, the proposed model points to the following four actions: difference, similarity, connection and translation. Next, via a semio-phenomenological analysis, these four actions are traced in Jhumpa Lahiri’s collection of short stories Interpreter of Maladies. Finally, it is concluded that in the inteactive or phenomenological relation to others and objects surrounding him/her, the immigrant experiences different life styles. He/She establishes his/her difference from the other by virtue of preserving the life style in his/her homeland; yet, at the same time, by imitating the host country’s life style, he/she attempts to identify with the other, mixes with the other, creates a hybrid life style and makes an engrafted identity. Most importantly, contitnually passing through the significations of the homeland’s and host country’s life styles, the immigrant repeatedly translates his/her own identities.