How does Jhumpa Lahiri use the minor action and subtle details to express the unmet needs of the characters?

     There are many minor details and subtle things throughout the short story, Interpreter of Maladies, that seem unimportant. However, there is a reason behind all those subtle details and it is to reveal the flaws and  lack of unity among the Das family. In the story, almost every member of the Das family has an object that preoccupies them from spending time with the rest of the family. Mina, the mother of the family, polishes her nails during the car ride and ignores her daughter's pleas. Discouraged by her mother's indifference, Tina (the daughter), just plays with her doll throughout the car ride. Likewise the father, Raj, doesn't make an effort to converse with his family, but keeps his eyes glued to his book about India, or takes pictures with his camera to please his own interests.
     However, there are even more subtle details and minor actions that exemplify the family's lack of unity. During the car ride to the Sun Temple, Tina constantly plays with the lock on the car door. Although it seemed insignificant at first, Mr. Kapasi (tour guide) says, "... but Mrs. Das said nothing to stop her." (Mr. Kapasi 61) If Mina really cared for her daughter and considered her young daughter's safety, she would have stopped her from playing with the door. This situation shows that Mina doesn't really love her family like she should. Similarly, at the very end of the story, the flaws of the Das family are portrayed through a very interesting scene. Bobby is harassed by a large group of monkeys and the quote the narrator says after chasing away the monkeys is, "the slip of paper with Mr. Kapasi's address on it fluttered away in the wind. He watched as it rose, carried higher and higher by the breeze, into the trees where the monkeys now sat, solemnly observing the scene below." This scene was the most memorable for me because I felt as if the monkeys felt sorry for the Das family. Naturally lively and jocular in nature, monkeys rarely remain still, but I guess even the monkeys saw the sad flaws of the family, because they stayed still and solemn.