A Temporary Matter

Lahiri uses the third-person omniscient point of view. The narrative voice is characterized by simple, straightforward prose. Lahiri’s narrative language is direct and descriptive, which she juxtaposes with the characters’ indirect communication. The narration is accessible and inornate to replicate the ordinariness of everyday experiences. This direct language allows Lahiri to highlight the trials of marriage as well as the experience of children of immigrants through the lens of literary realism. The “close third” narration creates distance between the characters and the reader, while it also allows the narrative scope to remain fixed on Shukumar and stay present in the house. Lahiri employs the “close third” narration to build tension toward Shoba’s climatic confession. The impact of the story’s resolution is heightened by the simplicity of the closing lines: “They wept together, for the things they now knew” (22).

Foreshadowing is a narrative device that Lahiri uses to signal what will happen in the story. Specifically, Lahiri uses foreshadowing to suggest that the couple is not heading toward a happy reconciliation.