The Durwan's Tale

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Everything about “A Real Durwan” by Jhumpa Lahiri struck me as resembling a childhood tale with a moral to the story. The protagonist of the story, Boori Ma, is somewhat legend-like in that her life is this inexplicable tale of previous grandeur. No one is actually sure about her past because everything she says seems to either be a blatant lie or extremely exaggerated. Additionally, she is a classic misfit character in a fairytale. She is different from everyone else but they still keep her around because she’s useful in some way or adds something to her environment.

The story follows a very simple plot arc as well. All is well until something or someone new is introduced. In this case, it is the introduction of the sink that brings doom upon this little apartment building utopia. People become obsessed with this new object until it is begins eating away at their previous personalities. To put it in dramatic terms, it corrupts them, manifesting as the story progresses until the end, when the extreme low point of the story occurs. Boori Ma’s expulsion from the building as she begs for sympathy reflects the height of the effect the corruption has had on the people living in the apartment.
Like any tale, there seems to be a moral to this story. Of course it is open for interpretation, as are most morals, however greed clearly plays a role in the downfall of this community. In the beginning of the story, everyone is very modest and people are rather content with what they have in life. They keep Boori Ma around as entertainment and because she does the job of a durwan with the benefits of keeping the building clean. However, the moment the sink is introduced, they get a taste of “luxury”. Rather than being thankful and content with the new sink installation, the people quickly become greedy for even more higher end items that they previously had no desire for. This includes a real durwan, when they deem humble Boori Ma to be unworthy, despite her having lived in that building for allegedly an extended period of time.

Comments

  1. MichelleMay 13, 2018 at 8:59 PM

    I agree that greed plays a major role in the downfall of the community. The people are really excited when they first hear about the basin, but slowly that excitement turns to jealousy and greed like you mention. This greed brings in a ton of people, and Boori Ma can no longer fulfill her duties as the durwan since too many people are coming in and out at once. The tenants create the problem but blame Boori Ma which isn't fair at all! It was really sad to see her kicked out and humiliated for something she wasn't responsible for.

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  2. Shreya GargyaMay 14, 2018 at 12:14 PM

    I like how you compare "The Real Durwan" to a childhood tale that serves as a lesson. I hadn't thought about the story in this way, but it makes a lot of sense. In this case, the moral is about how greed is a bad thing that can hurt others, such as Boori Ma.

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  3. LindsayMay 14, 2018 at 1:54 PM

    Yeah, I definitely agree with the points you brought up. I actually wrote my essay on how Lahiri might be offering a commentary on the potential pitfalls (such as greed and superficiality) of technological advancements. While the basin might be considered a positive new addition at first, it quickly leads to a lot of unforseen consequences.

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