Analysis part 2 Lahiri uses different techniques to evoke the reader’s empathy for the immigrants. A very striking one is the use of imagery. In A Temporary Matter for example everything is described very detailed and the reader feels like he is a part of the story. A good example for this is the passage where Shukumar thinks about the day he left his wife Shoba before her stillbirth and he describes the taxi cab very detailed and how he had a last sight at his pregnant wife. The situation appears very vividly. Additionally, the short story is told from the first-person perspective, so the reader gets caught up in Shukumar’s thoughts and feelings what makes it easier for the reader to understand his behaviour regarding the struggles has to face. His subjective point of view evokes the reader to understand Shukumar better generally. In contrast to that the short story Mrs. Sen’s is told from Elliots point of view, thus it is written in a more objective and neutral way. Even though Elliot is 11 years old he seems to be mature and sees things how they are. By this, Mrs. Sen is portrayed as a warm-hearted and maternal figure, so the reader sympathizes for her automatically. This is an important aspect because Mrs. Sen is not very well integrated into the American society, which is a negative thing for many people. Because Elliot likes Mrs. Sen (and he even feels more home at Mrs. Sen’s than at his own home) non-immigrants can rely on his point of view better than on an immigrant’s point of view, if they have any aversion. Another very noticeable technique of Lahiri is her use of metaphors and symbols. In Mrs. Sen’s for example, she cannot get used to driving her car and so she cannot get a driver’s license. This means that she is not free in America, the land of freedom, and cannot integrate into American society. Her constant use of the Indian knife stands for her need to talk to her Indian friends and to have company like she used to have while preparing food. In A Temporary Matter Shoba and Shukumar always eat Indian food even though it seems like they are living a normal western lifestyle besides that. Their food choices show their need to feeling connected to their Indian roots. The use of imagery combined with the metaphors make the two short stories very vivid and easy to understand. Furthermore, Lahiri employs a simplistic writing style and does not use an artificial way of writing.