Character Analysis: A Temporary Matter

The story “A Temporary Matter” involved only two main characters Shukumar and Shoba. The couple was facing uncommunicated issues in their marriage due to the fact of prior circumstances. Shukumar is a self-absorbed person who is lacking ambition in his endeavors as a man and a graduate student. Shukumar is the kind of man, that even though his wife is trying get over losing her baby during childbirth. He can only think about how long it had been since she looked into his eyes and smiled or whispered, his name, or those rare occasions they still reached for each other’s bodies before sleeping. Shukumar is the epitome of a man that lacks emotions when they are greatly desired. You can tell that Shukumar has lost all hope of a joyful ending. Based

The dysfunctional married couple went through several different phases while the blackout occurred. Shukumar strategized and planned very carefully each night, how he would romanticize his wife. In hopes of getting their marriage back to the way it was before the death of their child. Shoba had an already premeditated plan that she was waiting for the right time to put into play. She was waiting for the right time and moment to explain to Shukumar that she no longer wanted to be with him. Shoba uses the blackout as an occasion to for her to spill everything she never bothered to reveal since the incident of their child. After the days of the blackout were over Shoba let Shukumar know that she no longer wanted to be with him. This devastated Shukumar and the only way he could protect his pride was by spilling the details of their stillborn. These details cut through Shoba’s heart like a sharp knife. The events of the blackout and the emotional connection they shared flipped the ending with an unexpected

The darkness created an atmosphere of sorrow. Perfect for Shoba to imply her new-found plan. “A Temporary Matter" by Jhumpa Lahiri has revealed that it is the small things in life that form and outline all the most important situations in our lives and it will take more than something momentary to unravel these difficulties or bring the truth to light. Although it may seem as though the couple’s problems do not come to light until the temporary matter of the power outage, the whole story, comprised of small, seemingly insignificant memories or thoughts are just as important as the confessions of not being in love the same way. The title of “A Temporary Matter" by Jhumpa Lahiri is certainly ironic since none of the couple’s problems are going to be solved in a temporary manner, and it shows us that the little things in life truly do matter a great