In the story “A Temporary Matter” Jhumpa Lahiri reveals how Shukamar is afraid to face his problems and Shoba doesn't like to talk about the baby. Shukamar can't really relate to Shoba. He can't because he never actually went to India and Shoba did. They both try to isolate each other so they don't have to deal with their problems. In the story where they slowly separate there is already a sense of separation but it gets worse. It displaces them. At the end of the story they are no longer together. Due to the way Shukamar and Shoba deal with their problems, their relationship is growing apart. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay These are the problems shown by the author. Shoba and Shukamar barely spend any time together. Shukamar even said, “These days Shoba was always present when Shukamar woke up” (Lahiri 4). They barely see each other and when they do they try to keep apart. They don't even celebrate: “Shoba and Shukamar had not celebrated Christmas that year” (Lahiri 2). The reason they are like this is because they can't get over their child's problem. Shoba tries to avoid it completely “and partly because it was a place Shoba avoided” (Lahiri 8). Even though Shukamar just wants to completely forget about the baby by removing all baby items, he also stops worrying about things like brushing his teeth. Another problem with their relationship is that they keep things secret and lie. Shukamar even said, “He had held him until a nurse knocked and took him away, and that day he promised himself that he would never tell Shoba” (Lahiri 22). The only thing is, he told Shoba. So, due to their secrecy and the way they isolate themselves, their relationship is over.