Stupid American Tourists

"As soon as the car began to move the little girl began to play with the lock on her side, clicking it with some effort forward and backward, but Mrs. Das said nothing to stop her. She sat a bit slouched at one end of the back seat, not offering her puffed rice to anyone. Ronny and Tina sat on either side of her, both snapping bright green gum." Pg. 150

This whole story reminds me that you can take the people out of America but you can't take America out of the people. Though both parents have Indian heritage it is apparent by their behaviors that they are your typical American tourists. They carry around big bags full of anything you could possibly need, tour books, and cameras ready to take pictures of anything and everything. Normally I don't like when people stereotype Americans as being stupid and naive, but it's hard not to classify this family in that way. The worst part is that this family is too wrapped up in what the guidebook says instead of actually appreciating the beauty of the landmarks right in front of their faces. They act just like the monkeys they are so fascinated by. Mr. Kapasi normally is pestered by the tourists but because this one woman took interest in his life, he fell for her. In reality both people were sort of using one another. Mr. Kapasi was using Mrs. Das for the way he complimented his career and made him feel important. Mrs. Das used him to vent about her problems and reveal a secret she had to keep for a long time. Mr. Kapasi's interest in Mrs. Das was innocent enough in his intentions, but Mrs. Das was simply using him as a confidant for this big secret. It was as if he was a priest she was confessing to. She didn't really care about Mr. Kapasi at all. This cold unfeeling treatment is often times seen as characteristic of the American way. Unfortunately in this case it's true.