Who Belongs? | 3 of 4 | Keynote Reading and Conversation || Radcliffe Institute | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

In this thought-provoking keynote speech, Jhumpa Lahiri discusses identity, confinement, and the power of literature, while also sharing a short story she wrote in Italian and translated into English.

Transcript

• Good afternoon, everybody, and welcome back. So let me introduce our distinguished keynote speaker. Jhumpa Lahiri is a professor of creative writing at the Lewis Center for the Arts at Princeton University. She received a Pulitzer Prize in 2000 for her debut story collection, Interpreter of Maladies. Her followup novel, The Namesake, in 2003 was ... Read More

Key Insights

• 😒 Lahiri uses her writing to feel free and escape the weight of expectations and obligations.
• ❓ Identity is a complex and sometimes confining concept that Lahiri prefers to evade as a writer.
• 🥰 Writing and reading allow Lahiri to explore different lives, shape-shift into different characters, and connect with the hearts and souls of others.

Questions & Answers

Q: What inspired Lahiri to write the short story "The Boundary"?

The story was inspired by Lahiri's observations of the Bangladeshi community in Rome and her curiosity about the life of a young girl she encountered while on vacation.

Q: How does Lahiri view the role of the writer in the current sociopolitical climate?

Lahiri believes that writers have the freedom to create and communicate great truths, although their work may be read politically.

Q: Can Lahiri talk more about the concept of confinement in relation to the story?

Lahiri sees confinement as a metaphor for human civilization, which is constantly negotiating and fighting over boundaries and lines. Each individual has their own reality and boundaries.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Lahiri discusses her experience of feeling trapped by expectations and the desire to break free from the confines of identity.

• She shares a short story titled "The Boundary," which deals with themes of boundaries, confinement, and communication.

• Lahiri reflects on the importance of literature and the ability to step outside of one's own reality through writing.