The Fantasizing of
Perfect Realities
People put
into perilous and traumatic situations will, more often than not, create a life
that they see more suitable and enjoyable in their perception. The concept of
interpreting events in a light in which one creates a fantasized reality might
be viewed as a foreign concept to a multitude of individuals. However, when
specific persons are not capable of dealing with the reality that they have
been placed in or created themselves, there can be radical results that might
involve damage to emotional and mental health. Even though cases that involve
the producing a falsified reality and its effects on a person are typically devastating
for real individuals, there have been multiple pieces of literature that depict
a main character also going through truly traumatic events or periods of time
and creating a fake reality. Most notably, writers like Jhumpa Lahiri and
Ernest Hemingway have created astounding short stories displaying the exact
action of going through rough patch in life and, as a result, envision a new
life in their head. Mr. Kapasi within the short story, “Interpreter of
Maladies,” can be an excellent example of how fanaticizing a fake life can be
quite depressing and upsetting to one’s mental health. Similarly to Lahiri’s
work of literature, Ernest Hemingway’s short story, “ Hills Like White
Elephants,” also depicts how destructive a false sense of reality can be to a
fragile mind, like the female character within the story, Jig The lives of
individuals throughout history have been presented with situations to
unbearable to face head-on and as a result, have been placed in a world in
which they create a world of their own, as a coping mechanism. Notable works of
literature have been known to convey the message that one will, without a
second thought, put themselves in a falsified world in which everything is
wondrous ultimately leading to their spiritual or physical demise.
Within
Ernest Hemingway’s short story “Hills Like White Elephants,” the display of
fantasizing a life that is truly unobtainable is all too prevalent. The
dialogue between the two main characters depicts a dramatic difference in the
perception in the reality each is living. The plot of the story involves the
female main character being involved in getting an operation that is not
specifically identified, however it is most often viewed as an unwanted
abortion from the female character amongst a multitude of readers. The female
main character, often referred to as Jig, over the course of the conversation
with her male counterpart becomes more and more weary while discussing the
“simple operation,” (Hemingway 115). Specifically within the story, Jig puts
her love for the man in question, as well as questioning his love for her.
Jig’s ideal life prior to the supposed pregnancy most likely involved a long
life of love with the male character. However, one can perceive a romanticizing
of a weak relationship, similar to the female main character within “Hills Like
White Elephants,” as an example of crucial over-fantisization leading to an
emotional struggle. A true display of Jig having an emotional battle can be
found within the story with her saying, “And if I do it you’ll be happy and
things will be like they were and you’ll love me,” (115). One can interpret the
interaction between the two main characters as an emotional death in their
relationship. The fantasizing on the part of Jig within the story can be
interpreted as her ultimate downfall, leading to the final line of the short
story having such malice in tone. “I feel fine, there’s nothing wrong with me.
I feel fine,” (Hemingway 117). Similarly
to Jig within Hemingway’s story, “Hills Like White Elephants,” there have been
multiple pieces of literature that display the fantisization of reality as the
potential downfall of main characters present in a story.
Jhumpa
Lahiri’s short story, “Interpreter of Maladies,” presents an excellent display
of what a mental preoccupation with a false reality can truly do to a person. Amongst
the many characters present within the story of Lahiri, there is one that
stands out with an utter amount of grandeur who goes by the name of Mr. Kapasi.
Throughout the story, written by Lahiri,
the main character Mr. Kapasi is depicted as an unhappily married man giving
tours around India and becoming unrealistically obsessed with having a life
with the female main character, Mrs. Das. However, Kapasi’s fantasization of a
life with Mina Das does not become an actual act of contemplation at first
sight. Mr. Kapasi only becomes infatuated with Mr. Das’ wife following her
supposed admiration of Mr. Kapasi’s occupation as an interpreter of maladies.
"So these patients are totally dependent on you; in a way, more dependent
on you than the doctor," (Lahiri 18). Mr. Kapasi, following his discussion
with primarily Mrs. Das, is put in a situation in which he becomes enamored
with the supposed beauty of Mina Das. In addition, Mr. Kapasi had started
creating thoughts that involve Mrs. Das being the woman he was meant to marry
and he being in a currently disastrous marriage. “Perhaps they too, had little
in common apart from three children and a decade of their lives. The signs he
recognized from his own marriage were there- the bickering, the indifference,
the protracted silences. Her sudden interest in him, an interest she did not
express in either her husband or her children, was mildly intoxicating,”
(Lahiri 19). However, following the realization of Mrs. Das’ infidelity in her
marriage, Mr. Kapasi comes back down to Earth, so to speak. Nonetheless, the
act of fantasizing such a drastic thought of leaving one’s own family can lead
to drastic acts leading to a potentially ruinous conclusion. Jhumpa Lahiri’s
short story, “Interpreter of Maladies,” truly depicts another instance in which
fantasizing a false reality can really diminish the lives of many involved both
emotionally and mentally. Furthermore, there have been recent points of
discussion within the modern media that involve individuals fantasizing their lives
in a way that breeds troubles for multiple comprised parties.
Within
recent years, there have unfortunate outcomes in personal health involving
notable celebrities. A well-recognized instance of one falling from grace
involves the actor most know as Charlie Sheen. The notable actor Charlie Sheen,
around five years ago had started his dark spiral down the road of
self-destruction following his termination from the show, “Two and a Half Men.”
Many psychological professionals at the time of Sheen being a public disaster
questioned his mental status, insinuating that he had visual behavior depicting
bipolar 1-disorder. “People with bipolar disorder go through unusual mood
changes. Sometimes they feel very happy and ‘up,’ and are much more energetic
and active than usual. This is called a manic episode. Sometimes people with
bipolar disorder feel very sad and ‘down,’ have low energy, and are much less
active. This is called depression or a depressive episode,” (National Institute
of Mental Health). One can perceive the actions of individuals with bipolar
1-disorder who have manic episodes as fantasizing their reality, doing drastic
things to keep their life in a position in which things will stay positive. Overall,
there many instances in literature and real life in which the fantasization of
one’s reality ultimately leads to a catastrophic conclusion.
Throughout
the works of both Lahiri and Hemingway, there are excellent displays of how
fantasizing a false reality can be damaging to the human psyche. In addition to
literature, there have been multiple real world examples of how concocting
fantasized world can ruin not only one’s mental health, but also one’s social
status. The act of fantasization as a coping mechanism in a bleak and upsetting
world can go without repercussions; however, when one contains true avidity to
complete the imagined actions, there is misfortune for almost every party
involved.
Booth, Alison, and Kelly J. Mays. Hills Like White
Elephants. 1927. The Norton
Introduction to Literature.
New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 115,117. Print.
Lahiri, Jhumpa.
"Interpreter of Maladies."
Interpreter of Maladies. New York:
Mariner-Houghton, 1999. 18-19.
National Institute of Mental Health. "Bipolar
Disorder." NIMH RSS. Web. 20 Apr. 2016.
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