A Temporary Matter: Review



Title: A Temporary Matter
Author: Jhumpa Lahiri
Genre: Short Story

This short story is a part of 'The Interpreter of Maladies'- a book that I read many years ago. 

It was nice to revisit this particular story as it happened to be a part of my course curriculum. Interesting how you perceive the story with a different lens and delve deep into its analysis. 

A Temporary Matter is the story about a married couple who confess some truths to one another during a power outage.  Shoba and Shukumar receive a notice which says that there would be a power cut for an hour every night for five consecutive days. The story goes on to showcase the couple's strained relations due to Shoba's miscarriage. It unearths their several complexes that they are battling with. 

It is interesting to note how the author has used darkness as a metaphor to describe the same in the couple's lives. She certainly has a knack for details, bringing the reader's attention to the little things about the couple. This is apparent especially in the description of the smells and flavors of food.  It also helps in showcasing the subtle changes that comes over the couple after the tragedy. The revelations of the couple in the dark grips the reader even more. It remains to be seen if a reconciliation occurs. 

Largely focusing on the theme of human relationships and human emotions, the author weaves a tale that is complex and one that lingers on the minds of the readers. 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

100 meters : Movie Review

Image
Watched this inspiring Spanish film over the weekend on Netflix!  100 meters is a based on a true story of a man named Ramon who is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. He is told that he will be able to even walk 100 meters in the next one year. Determined to prove this wrong, he takes up the challenge of doing the grueling Ironman race which involves 2.4 miles swimming, 112 miles biking and 26.2 miles running.  With the help of his father in law with whom he initially shares a shaky relationship with, he begins to train relentlessly. Ramon faces challenges on the way and is almost pushed to the brink of being bed ridden. He overcomes every hurdle with grit and a positive frame of mind. It remains to be seen if he actually finishes the race.  This movie struck a chord in many ways. A triathlon is not just a race-its a humbling journey which alters your life forever. The training period is especially a challenging one as it demands a lot out of you. The film showcases the importance of f
Read more

The Chennai resistance

Image
-By Swetha Amit http://content.msn.co.in/MSNContribute/Story.aspx?PageID=3cd78548-4240-47c3-a608-8432df372190 Mentality of a Chennaite is something that never fails to amaze me and other people of different cities. This city has a rich cultural heritage and people indeed try their best to preserve it as much as possible. However in spite of globalization descending upon them, with BPOs lurking at every corner, with the Burgers and pizzas invading their eateries, the typical chennaite will go by his time tested staple food. Times have changed, and Chennai itself is now invaded by population from other cities not only in India but form the world, thanks to the IT boom and the automobile hub centre that it has become. One can see the metamorphosis almost everywhere; old buildings have given way to modern architecture, arterial roads choked to the brim with modern vehicles, individual bungalows replaced by the apartments. Only the age old temples have withstood this onslaught, but they too
Read more

The Call of the Wild : Movie review

Image
I had recently re read The Call of the Wild by Jack London.  Its a journey of a dog named Buck which gets kidnapped and ultimately finds its true calling amidst the wild.  Buck leads a cozy life in sunny California until that day when he is kidnapped. To his dismay, Buck finds himself as a part of a pack of sled dogs. The story traces his change, survival and how he ultimately finds his place as a leader of the pack. Buck is also subjected to harsh treatment-the aspect that makes several readers hate the book especially dog/animal lovers.  The movie is a kinder version of the book. It focuses largely on the rapport between John Thorthon and Buck. John Thorthon played by Harrison Ford posts letters to his dead son and manages to rescue Buck from being beaten to death. He adopts Buck as his own son and ultimately ventures into the Alaskan Wilderness where Buck finds his home.  While some of the critics may have been disappointed with the movie, I personally found it en
Read more