Pico Iyer's "Meeting Maung-Maung" revolves completely, not surprisingly, around the character Maung-Maung. However, this, in conjunction with the narrator never ultimately affecting the overall plot, suggests that this story is told in 2nd person. Therefore, the theme must derive from the true protagonist, Maung-Manug, which I believe is the importance of selflessness and faith. The lovable appeal of Iyer's remarkable guide may be due in part by his intelligence and humble origin, but it's mostly delivered through his sincere happiness - he's always learning and possesses a remarkable work ethic and sacrifices himself so much yet achieves a self-actualization not in spite of but because of his Buddhist responsibilities and desire to serve people.
The language is most effective when Iyer captures the simplistically pure persona of Maung-Maung. When the two take a detour to Maung-Maung's house they "[pull] up before [his] hut, fronted with weeds. Smiling proudly," he leads a stranger he's never met into his humble home, fascinating the reader with both his sincere trust in others and admiration toward his modest living quarters. The dry skepticism of the narrator also juxtaposes the innocence of his trishaw guide. Iyer's dour expectations for Maung-Maung to "drop a drug in [his] tea or pull out a knife" as to explain his seemingly perfect personality highlights just how amazing Maung-Maung is when he instead ultimately shares with the suspicious narrator his most treasured possessions.
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