What Is The Significance Of Food In A Temporary Matter

Food is a crucial and intimate part of every culture. It is something that traditions are built around and from which relationships grow. Food provides a connects people and gives a sense of familiarity, especially for immigrants, and belonging.The food an individual preparers and prefers tells a lot about who they are and from where they trace their lineage. Thus, food is both a key component of personal identity, interpersonal relationships, and historical identity--or heritage. In Jhumpa Lahiri’s This Blessed House and A Temporary Matter from Interpreter of Maladies, food is used as a symbol to showcase the character’s relationships, personalities, and the connection to their heritage.
Lahair uses the act of eating together and the preparation
Shoba is described "like the type of woman she'd once claimed she would never resemble" (Lahari). It can be inferred that all her life she had maintained a presentable appearance and pleasant character, however after the tragedy she no longer cared how she looked, what she ate and other small details in her life (Brada-Williams). Before the loss of the baby Shoba had a “capacity to think ahead. When she used to do the shopping, the pantry was always stocked with extra bottles of olive and corn oil, depending on whether they were cooking Italian or Indian. There were endless boxes of pasta in all shapes and colors, zippered sacks of basmati rice, whole sides of lambs and goats from the Muslim Butchers at Haymarket, chopped up and frozen in endless plastic bags” (Lahari). Shoba had a routine of sure written down recipes, including the date they were cooked, tidying up the house, spending time with Shukumar and basically being a social person. Yet, her personality took a drastic change, which affected all aspects of her life. As she retreated into isolation food was no longer abundant, cooking was no longer important either. It could be assumed that she was giver and provider. On the contrast Shukumar is portrayed as a taker and consumer (Brada-Williams). He has a “facility for absorbing details without curiosity" whether it be scholarly material or everyday details
The food an individual preparers or prefers tells a lot about the connection to their heritage. Food is a crucial component of tradition. It’s mere presence serves as a comfort and constant. In A Temporary Matter, neither character rejects Indian cuisine. In fact both characters have knowledge in regards to the preparation of meals. Thus it can be implied that they are connected to their culture before the lose of their baby. In America marriage no longer valued as it was before or as it is in different culture, like Indian culture. When situations get tough couples no longer work things out together. Lahiri uses this story as “an example to show how modern American relationships often fall apart”. The lack of meals grows exponentially as their relationship deteriorates and thus their connection to their