Irony in “A Temporary Matter”

Jhumpa Lahiri’s “A Temporary Matter” surprised me. Its abrupt ending, the tragic announcement that Shoba is moving out, is a stark contrast to my personal interpretation of the events leading up to it. Several elements portrayed in the story helped me see potential in the couple’s relationship, only to find puzzle pieces of irony clashing together into a heartbreaking conclusion.

Darkness

Darkness in this story can have many connotations. To me, it refers to the unknown. The fact that they only feel comfortable talking to each other in darkness portrays an idea that they are drawn together by the unknown in each other, as if they have just met for the first time all over again. This causes a sense of renewal and, as my interpretation goes, an improvement in Shoba and Shukumar’s relationship.

Instead, the truth of why Shoba wanted to play the game to begin with is exposed with the light on. Hence, light represents truth and darkness symbolizes the most important thing that Shukumar does not know, the game in the dark leading up to the harsh truth.

Organization

The piece describes Shoba as organized and always planning ahead. Before the baby died, she “put her coat on a hanger,” “paid bills as soon as they came,” and always “prepare[d] for surprises.” Shoba is described as a go-getter, and very well put together. As devastating as the incident is, it is ironic to see a woman of such composure crumple so badly when life takes an unexpected turn. “Now she treats the house as if it were a hotel” (6), she has given up on visiting friends and family, and has given up on the relationship with her husband, even to the extent of moving out without confronting him until she had already leased an apartment.

“Temporary” matters

While reading the story, I was trying to find connections between the temporary power outage and the couple’s troubles. As I was reading, I found that because the couple began to become closer to each other in this time, I thought that just as the darkness is only “temporary,” the difficulties in the relationship are only “temporary.”

Once again, to my surprise, this metaphor only meant that the relationship’s love and spark of hope is only as temporary as the electricity maintenance.

Confessions

Two of the most important elements of the story are the confessions and Shoba and Shukumar’s reactions to the confessions. My impression was that their lack of anger at the confessions was a sign of strength, sympathy and understanding. When Shukumar told Shoba that he cheated on his “Oriental Civilization exam,” she answered, “you didn’t have to tell me why you did it,” as “she took his hand” (17-18). This implies that she knows why he did it, signifying sympathy and lack of judgment toward him, which is a sign of love and understanding. Even the confessions that could have easily hurt each other, such as lying about plans or carrying around a picture of a model, did not seem to faze them-- “She simply listened, and then took his hand, pressing it as she had before” (19). I felt that this is a sign of strength in the relationship, as if because they have been through the worst, the small honest mistakes in a relationship cannot weaken their bond in love and sorrow. I thought it was an acceptance of each other’s role as normal, imperfect human beings.

I believe that Shoba is a very complex character who can be analyzed in countless ways. Her reasons for making the decision to leave her husband after the tragedy can be sympathized with on many levels, no matter how surprised I was. Her indifference to Shukumar’s confessions, I believe, could be a simple sign that she simply could not find the strength to love, since her greatest love (her child) was taken from her.

I did not find irony in the way Shoba reacted to her situation, only in Lahiri’s way of writing it. She successfully used the plot elements of darkness, confession, and character personality to create irony and suspense in a complicated marriage.

Haley DeLoach Eng 110- G