A Temporary Matter by Jhumpa Lahiri

The theme of this episode is the temporary nature of relationship. The two are involved in a relationship that was born of a blackout. The blackout brought them together, but it also showed that the love was temporary. Shukumar and Shoba are torn apart by the revelation of a terrible secret. It is a very sad tale, but one that reveals how difficult it is to let go of the past.

Shukumar and Shoba fall apart after a stillborn baby

The death of their child is a terrible tragedy, but one that will not separate these two people. They are bonded by their child, and they miss each other very much. Shoba used to prepare elaborate meals, stocking her pantry with everything she could find, and even recording the date she cooked it in a recipe book. Shoba no longer prepares elaborate meals, and Shukumar must step in to help Shoba.

Shukumar hurts Shoba by revealing a devastating secret

When Shoba learns of her father’s death, she confronts Shukumar, who reveals that the picture he kept in his wallet for years was of a woman she has never met. Shoba had never liked the image, and she was furious that Shukumar had kept it for so long. But the truth is much more tragic than that. It reveals the secret Shukumar held from her, and it forces Shoba to confront her own mortality.

Shoba keeps a secret from Shukumar

In this book, Shoba reveals that she and Shukumar play a game called “Shoba keeps a secret from ShukuMar”. In this game, one player must keep a secret from the other. During their first date, Shukumar forgot to tip the waiter. The next day, he returns to the restaurant and leaves money. This prank leaves Shoba and Shukumar laughing.

Shoba’s memory

It is not clear how Shukumar has been able to overcome the fact that Shoba has a memory of the incident. She had already been in the hospital for several days, and had not recovered from it. She has also lost a sense of home with Shukumar, and has no idea how to move forward. She feels that Shukumar was the one who made her home feel like a real home.

Lahiri’s short story explores the idea that life is a temporary matter

“A Temporary Matter” is the first story in Jhumpa Lahiri’s Interpreter of Maladies, a collection of short stories that examines the notion that life is a temporary matter. The story uses the literary element of foreshadowing to prepare the reader for the idea that life is a fleeting matter. The title of the collection is also intended to emphasize the thematic concept.