Metaphors Of Hybridity As Fusion: A Stylistic Analysis Of Short Story ‘A Temporary Matter’ By Jhumpa Lahiri

Abstract

The study at hand analyzes Jhumpa Lahiri’s short story A Temporary Matter through a stylistic analysis using metaphors of hybridity as forms of fusion. The current research study aims to explore the ways in which metaphors are constructed in the text. Additionally, it shows the ways in which linguistic features contribute to the creation of hybrid meanings that combine emotional, relational and cultural experiences. Furthermore, to answer the research questions, the study employed Contemporary Stylistics and Conceptual Blending Theory developed by Fauconnier and Turner (2002). For this purpose, a qualitative research design was adopted, and through the close reading technique, the data were collected from the selected textual excerpts. The analysis discloses the major elements in the narrative that contributed to meaning construction in the narrative and functioned as metaphorical spaces where multiple meanings are fused, such as the temporary power outage, the imagery of light and darkness, culinary practices and the game of confession. Notably, these metaphors reflect themes of grief, emotional distance, marital conflict, cultural identity and human connection. More crucially, the findings reveal that Lahiri’s minimalist style and simple language effectively convey complex emotional and cultural realities. Consequently, the study plays an important role in the interpretation of human relationships and identity formation in literary texts.

Keywords: Jhumpa Lahiri; A Temporary Matter; Contemporary Stylistics; Conceptual Blending Theory; Hybridity.