Mixing Messages Create Communication Problems Everyone struggles with honesty and communication in Interpreter of Maladies, although that is life. The most intense human emotions hit you when you are connected with another person on such a non-superficial level. Anger, confusion, grief, and guilt affect and interfere with every aspect of their lives. The characters in this collection of short stories struggle to be sincere, as fear of rejection, shame, overthinking, lead to not being able to be completely sincere with one's partner, thus leading to serious consequences. Instead of being forthright, people distance themselves further, creating a distance that never needed to be there. Actions driven by mutual honesty form the bond between two people and is critical to deciding whether the relationship is healthy or toxic. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Lack of sincerity pushes you into a realm of distance and separation. Mr. and Mrs. Das in Interpreter of Maladies have a toxic marriage, where secrets are leaked to someone who is not someone else. The lie that Mrs. Das had hidden from her entire family causes her bitterness. His guilt turns into a form of irritation, as this is his reaction to internalizing his feelings and becoming depressed. However, after meeting another man, all that guilt and bitterness becomes fleeting. She seeks relief by confiding in him everything she's kept in the dark, using a random man as an emotional crutch, as an involuntary therapist. Ms. Das has not been open about her feelings towards her family, especially her husband. In the process of uncovering her secrets, she inadvertently reveals how she deceived her husband. The fragile bond between her and each member of her family highlights the imperfections of her character. There is no real dialogue between husband and wife, because shame and fear separate the two. Mrs. Das explains the burden she carries by conveying her true feelings to this other person. He's crumbling under the shame, while the secret of a long-ago affair threatens to ruin his lifestyle. She lives in an environment where she endures the constant reminder of guilt, which stares her in the face every day, when she looks her illegitimate son in the eyes. Due to the lack of truthfulness, everything in his marriage is extremely superficial. Both husband and wife are consumed in their realities, as if looking through the camera lens, and not looking up once. The lack of sincerity between the two reveals the unstable bond between them.