Jhumpa Lahiri A Temporary Matter

Jhumpa Lahiri’s remorseful short story “A Temporary Matter” demonstrates a loss of faith as grief exposes differences. In modern Boston, a young couple has begun to isolate themselves from each other and lose interest in their well-being. It has been six months after the stillbirth of Shoba and Shukumar’s first child. Shukumar stays at home all day and puts off his dissertation while Shoba, who used to be a busy body around their home, now stays away from the house as much as possible. The electricity in their home will be turned off right around dinner time for five nights in a row in order to fix the power line. Shoba suggests they tell each other secrets in the dark like her family would do when the power would go out in India; these, however, deepen as the nights pass and eventually, destroy the love they have for one another. The
The emotional sequence emphasizes how whatever trust the couple had before was now destroyed by the confessions. Shukumar notices an abrupt change in Shoba’s actions since the tragedy six months ago and reflects how “She used to put her coat on a hanger, her sneakers in the closet, and she paid bills as soon as they came. But now she treated the house like a hotel.” Evidently, this despondent conflict emphasizes Shukumar’s doubt as Shoba’s new found independence and lack of maintenance is revealed. After sharing secrets the night before the couple is so liberated by the darkness that they start to anticipate it. “All day Shukumar had looked forward to the lights going out… It felt good to remember her as she was then.” The pattern of the lights going off every night shows a contradiction as Shakumar uses this time to strengthen their relationship while Shoba is