Cultural Translation, Hybrid Identity, and Third Space in Jhumpa Lahiri’s Interpreter of Maladies

The phenomena of migration, displacement, and social integration have greatly impacted discourses on the interpretation cultural translation, which is widely perceived as an ongoing reciprocal process exchange, integration, transformation. Drawing upon Homi K. Bhabha’s theoretical notions, such liminality, hybridity, third space, present study explores poetics politics translation in Jhumpa Lahiri’s Interpreter Maladies (1999). More specifically, we examine multiple ways existing similarities differences between dominant marginal cultures influence diasporic individuals communities various migrants respond to their conflicting conditions diaspora. A close reading three stories “Mrs. Sen’s,” “When Mr. Pirzada Came Dine” “The Third Final Continent” reveals that while liminal situation has potential become a site conflicts lives migrant subjects, it germinates condition hybridity embraces diversity blurry borders with one another space. This pattern perfectly demonstrated through characters Mrs. Sen, Lilia’s mother, Mala. Their heterogeneous experiences underscore idea when two disparate realities confront another, female welcome new space where they succeed negotiating translating cultures.