The point of view of the story is a key component to the overall meaning of the story. Being told in Shukumar’s third person means readers are limited to Shukumar’s feelings which parallels to the overall theme of one sided love. Throughout the story, the point of view impacts the way the audience perceives the …show more content…
In “A Temporary Matter”, author Jhumpa Lahiri uses numerous symbols throughout the story that delineate the two’s relationship in both the present and the future. The subjectivity of food in the story closely reflects their entire marriage and the inevitable breakup. Shoba, before her miscarriage, would cook for her husband- a task she was once so passionate about she would even recorded the exact recipes and dates for each meal. Now Shukumar does the cooking, as if he is trying to hold to what their marriage previously had been like. Shoba’s lack of desire to cook for her husband directly reflects her feelings of their marriage. Shoba knew that, “If it weren’t for him... Shoba would eat a bowl of cereal for her dinner”. Shoba’s willingness to pick up where his wife seemed to give up goes to show this is a one sided