Regardless of language or culture, some aspects of life are present in every person's life. Among these are love, food and clothing; Because of their connection to all peoples, they are popular symbols in literature. Jhumpa Lahiri, in Interpreter of Maladies, uses these ideas to convey major themes in each of the relationships she creates. In her collection of short stories, Lahiri illustrates the healthy and unhealthy stages of relationships through the symbols of food and clothing. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In “A Temporary Matter,” Lahiri creates the entire plot around meals; temporary power outages always occur during dinner time. However, it illustrates the importance of food before the current relationship between Shoba and Shukumar. When the couple enjoyed a loving, healthy bond, food was extravagant and comforting. Shoba had prepared a ten-course meal for Shukumar on their anniversary, symbolizing the warmth and care that was present in their relationship. During this time, Shoba also showed her interest in their life together through her clothes. She would put coats on hangers and shoes in the closet, and if she went shopping, she would buy whatever blouses or handbags she liked. This illustrates the attention to detail he had not only in his life, but specifically in their relationship. Shoba loved spending time with Shukumar and was precise in her actions so that they could live happily together. However, after the loss of his son, he lets go and Lahiri reflects this in the same symbols that once showed her true love. Instead of Shoba preparing new and interesting dishes, Shukumar cooks. Not only do their roles change, but their motivations also change. While Shoba cooked to bring Shukumar pleasure, Shukumar cooks because it is “the only thing that made him feel productive” (Lahiri 8). She also uses preserved foods that Shoba had prepared years earlier, in contrast to Shoba's use of fresh foods when cooking. The food he cooks, regardless of quality, is not even eaten with his wife. They eat dinner separately, signifying their isolation within the relationship. Shoba's clothing also reflects this. Instead of maintaining her neat and tidy appearance, she's wearing a raincoat over her gym clothes, with smeared makeup and a bag she doesn't bother putting away after work. She has become the woman she once said she would never resemble (1), and this illustrates how she has let go of her relationship with Shukumar. The shift from comfort food and assembled clothing to the exact opposite symbolizes the deterioration of their once strong bond, a bond that is now unhealthy and unfulfilling for both people. Miranda and Dev's relationship in "Sexy" follows a similar path, ending with the destruction of each person's feelings for each other. Early in their relationship, during the healthy, love-filled phase, they go out to trendy restaurants, eating a pig's head and holding hands at the dining table, symbolizing Dev's extreme care for Miranda and their feelings reciprocal reciprocal. Even when their first week together ends, they remain happy for a while; Miranda buys all of Dev's favorite foods, such as baguettes, pickled herring and pesto, for his Sunday visits. These visits, and the food that accompanies them, signify a luxury similar to that of a honeymoon phase, and the couple is obviously happy together. Miranda also buys herself some luxury items, "things that a lover thought ofshould have" (92), such as a silk robe and a tight cocktail dress, showing her devotion to the relationship and the value she places on their feelings for each other. Unfortunately, after Dev's wife returns, things slowly begin to go crooked and the symbols follow. Miranda begins to eat roughly, even eating “straight from the salad bowl” in anticipation of the Sundays when Dev comes to visit her (97). has Dev's wife, finds the food in the store unfamiliar and confusing, feeling extremely out of place. The store clerk even tells her that the food is too spicy for her; this illustrates how out of place Miranda feels in her relationship with Dev . He can only visit her on Sundays and his wife seems to be more important to him than Miranda, unconsciously hurting her. Their clothes also reflect this change, as Miranda's new "mistress clothes" remain unused, her clothes piled up on the floor. of the closet and her lingerie stuffed at the bottom of the underwear drawer. This means that what was once a symbol of hope for the future of their relationship is now gone and the luxurious, loving phase is over. On Sunday, when they meet, Dev is wearing sweats and Miranda is wearing jeans, showing that they don't care about their appearance, nor do they care much about the relationship. Lahiri uses the same symbols in "This Blessed House" in Twinkle's wedding. and Sanjeev. When the couple first met, they were at a party; their bonding moment was when they agreed on the lack of taste in the food they were eating, and Twinkle says she was "fascinated by the way Sanjeev had dutifully refilled her cup of tea during their conversation" (143). Their happy, if short-lived, relationship begins with this warm and inviting meal, over which they are able to connect. This connection unfortunately proves faulty over time. When they move in together, the meals the couple shares are no longer the same. The first meal shown in the story features a fish stew prepared by Twinkle, but this is no ordinary fish stew. The stew is made with the vinegar he found with the first Christ figurine, placed on a Jesus trivet and finally covered with a tea towel with the Ten Commandments. This infatuation of Twinkle's with Christian objects is the main problem in their relationship and manifests itself in three ways in the first meal of the story. The first meal in the new house is the exact opposite of the first meal they have ever shared; instead of exemplifying hope for the future, it foreshadowed major issues to come. Clothing is also prevalent at this stage of the relationship, as Sanjeev notes that he hates the way she throws her underwear at the foot of the bed instead of in a drawer. This seemingly insignificant problem with managing his clothes demonstrates his inability to deal with all of his idiosyncrasies. Also, during their big fight over Mary's statue, in which Twinkle cries and Sanjeev yells at her, Twinkle wears a simple bathrobe. He doesn't wear real clothes, which shows that the lack of care in clothing correlates to huge holes and misunderstandings in their relationship. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Interestingly, “This Blessed House”, although similar to the other two stories in terms of symbolism, does not follow the same plot as them. While the first two stories end with the end of relationships, this story ends with Twinkle and Sanjeev who stay together. The last scene.