How different are families from the past? Lately there have been some major changes in relationships, in the climate of female dominance or even simply in the absence of relationships. We also see that relationships are only based on a reproductive basis and sometimes the child of the relationship is quite irrelevant. In A Temporary Matter by Jhumpa Lahiri, the reader can see how relationships with the rest of the world have developed into failed, relationshipless, feminist relationships. A Temporary Matter by Jhumpa Lahiri is a short story that explains how these short relationships can fall apart so quickly. The couple, Shukumar and Shoba have a very complicated relationship. Shukumar works on his thesis at home while Shoba works, getting up every morning and going to work. The couple had previously lost a child soon after birth, which had hurt the couple. After this event the couple hardly spoke to each other, became experts at avoiding each other, and drifted apart. Then they have a problem that ends up forcing them to talk to each other more than they used to. They remember how they once were and begin to grow closer, revealing things about themselves. But then it all ends with Shoba telling her husband that she found an apartment. This prevents the couple from getting closer. Shukumar then reveals his secret about the baby and removes a mystery that Shoba wanted to keep secret. This story ends with the couple crying in the darkness, but the reader can infer that the couple broke up after this story. In this story the reader can see how relationships have evolved to become dominated by women. We see this in how Shoba is the one who will work, not Shukumar. As he works, work on him and work on the school. He... middle of paper... is the same house, as a result Shukumar misses work time when Shoba is at home. After the loss of their son, this couple really fell apart. The reader can interpret this as the couple getting together to reproduce and when that failed there was nothing left. Considering how recent it is, it's surprising that the couple has already gotten over the baby's death. The couple is not fully over the child's death, but is not yet grieving and only becomes angry when the issue is raised. This story is a great representation of how relationships have changed over the years. Weather it is female dominance or relationships are abandoned. Shoba and Shukumar are great examples of this phenomenon. This couple can be related to a typical American relationship. Jhumpa Lahiri does a good job of detailing the failure of a relationship and explains how this couple breaks up.