Comparison Of A Temporary Matter And This Blessed House

In the short story collection Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri, the two stories, “A Temporary Matter” and “This Blessed House,” illustrate how the differences between two people can ruin the relationship in the long run. The first story in the collection is about a couple who lost their baby after birth. This traumatic event causes them to drift apart and to not feel the same love for each other that they once had before. The second story is about a newly married couple who, after buying a house, learn that they can not cooperate with each other. The couples’ personality differences are brought out when dealing with challenging situations. With differences and secrets that these couples face, their relationships eventually start to fall apart. In “A Temporary Matter,” Shoba and Shukumar, a married couple who have just been through a miscarriage, start to drift apart because they no longer feel the connection they once had. They spend time alone, even when they are in the same house. But when …show more content…
They met only four months before the wedding, and had not been able to kindle a real relationship. While Sanjeev wants to value his Indian roots, Twinkle finds a new respect for Christianity, which makes Sanjeev upset. She starts finding different statues around the house and displays them for her guests to see when they have their housewarming party. Sanjeev does not approve of these statues in his house because he is afraid of his guests judging him. When he threatens to take the statues to the dump, she says, “‘Don’t you dare.’ She stood up, letting the book fall into the water, bubbles dripping down her thighs. ‘I hate you,’ she informed him, her eyes narrowing at the word ‘hate’” (149). Although Sanjeev feels guilty while saying this, he feels as if the relationship is one-sided and therefore does not feel