Temporary matter essay

In the story, “A Temporary Matter”, Shoba, the wife, reveals to her husband, Shukumar, at the climax of the story that she was planning on moving out. The loss of their child is a key factor in this decision but it is no where near the only factor, and I argue that it is not the main one.

The first story of the collection, A Temporary Matter, focuses mainly on marital alienation but food emerges as a metaphor in the story. Shoba's disinterest in cooking comes about when the sense of alienation sets in after a miscarriage.

Her motivation is caused by her selfish attitude and propensity to focus on John's flaws; this derives from her desire for John to change. As a farmer's wife she feels an increasing isolation, especially during winter months with "the silence weighing upon her" (Ross 139) and "the clock [that] tick [s] on like a glib little idiot" (166).

Any serious discussion such as the loss of their child, the feelings of pain, loss and resentment would just grow until such a breaking point where the relationship doesn’t mean anything anymore. This is exactly what happened in the story. There is not one finger to blame, the blame goes to both Shoba and Shukumar.