A person's life revolves around the little things, a moment of silence, a time filled with laughter, a period of hope. It is this theme that is conveyed in Jhumpa Lahiris' short story, A Temporary Matter. Through the chosen passage, the reader connects to the theme: Life is too short; life is a temporary affair. This theme is supported by three elements of the passage: the title, the baby and the initial concept. Each of these facets is seen through the use of literary elements of metaphor, irony and foreshadowing. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay A temporary affair follows the deterioration of a marriage. This journey takes place over a period of a week during which Shukumar hopes that he and his wife, Shoba, will rekindle their love. The passage that will be analyzed is the reflection of a period of their marriage distilled and almost frozen for the reader. However, this passage highlights the importance of the theme of this short story, through the inclusion of the three key literary elements mentioned above. The title of this short story, A Temporary Matter, is a metaphor for life and, in particular, the life of the married couple: Shukumar and Shoba. While the title is a metaphor for life, it also foreshadows the past and present relationship between Shukumar and Shoba. More to the point, it shows how their marriage was and always will be a temporary affair. The title of this work is also ironic. This manifests itself through the questioning of a fundamental societal value that life and marriage are full of happiness and are an asset worth celebrating. This convention is challenged by the title and presents a contrary view of marriage, namely that it is from the outset temporary and doomed to failure. Although this may be an increasingly typical feature of marriage in the contemporary sense, it is rarely a view that is taken into the relationship by consenting couples. Lahiri also explores the idea that life is a temporary experience through the use of the literary element, foreshadowing. Essentially, the author prepares the reader to understand that what is in the pages before him is only a temporary journey for his characters. The title therefore significantly emphasizes the thematic concept of the story: life is too short; This is a temporary matter. Another convention that is called into question is creation. While new life is usually described as bringing joy and happiness into the lives of many people, the baby in this passage from A Temporary Matter could not contrast these emotions more distinctly. The representation of the baby is metaphorical and once again foreshadows the couple's relationship. The sanctity of a couple's union passes through their children. The concept of stillbirth therefore challenges the convention that children should not die before their parents. This also shows that the marriage never existed in the first place. He was dead, limp and lifeless like the baby. The longer Shoba stayed at work...the more [Shukumar] wanted to stay (Lahiri 2). Happy endings never go as planned. In this case, the marriage was over, almost before it began. Marriage is a strong bond between two people. Their place in society is protected and considered sacred. Lahiri, however, challenges his perception of lifelong permanence as too short; life is a temporary affair. Foreshadow is also used to connect the critical themes of this passage through the notion of departure. The initial concept is another.