Analysis of A Matter of Time

Introduction

A Matter of Time, published in 1996, is a deeply introspective and poignant novel by Shashi Deshpande that explores the complexities of family relationships, the impact of abandonment, and the search for meaning and connection across generations. The novel delves into the lives of three generations of women, revealing the unspoken burdens, the quiet resilience, and the enduring bonds that shape their destinies. It is a meditative work that examines the nature of time, memory, and the cyclical patterns of human experience.

Plot Summary

The novel opens with the sudden and inexplicable departure of Gopal, a seemingly content husband and father, who simply walks out on his wife Sumi and their three daughters. This act of abandonment shatters Sumi’s world and forces her and her daughters to move back into her ancestral home, where her parents, Manorama and Shripati, and her unmarried aunt, Aru, reside. The narrative then unfolds through the perspectives of Sumi and her mother, Manorama, moving fluidly between past and present.

As Sumi grapples with her husband’s desertion, she begins to unravel the hidden histories and unspoken sorrows of her own family. She learns about her mother’s past, particularly Manorama’s own experiences with a distant and emotionally unavailable husband, and the sacrifices she made. The novel reveals the cyclical nature of abandonment and emotional detachment that seems to plague the women in the family across generations.

Through their shared living, the women of the household—Sumi, her daughters, Manorama, and Aru—form a fragile but resilient support system. They confront their individual and collective pasts, trying to understand the choices made and the silences maintained. The novel is less about finding definitive answers to Gopal’s departure and more about the process of coming to terms with life’s uncertainties, finding strength in female solidarity, and understanding the intricate web of relationships that bind them. The ending is open-ended, suggesting that life, with its joys and sorrows, continues, and that healing is a gradual process.

Major Characters

• Sumi: The protagonist. A woman abandoned by her husband, forced to return to her parental home. Her journey is one of grappling with betrayal, understanding her family’s past, and finding resilience.

• Gopal: Sumi’s husband, whose inexplicable departure sets the plot in motion. He represents the elusive and often incomprehensible nature of human choices and the impact of male detachment.

• Manorama: Sumi’s mother. She embodies the quiet strength and endurance of women who have faced similar emotional challenges in their own lives. Her past experiences mirror Sumi’s present struggles.

• Aru: Sumi’s unmarried aunt, who has dedicated her life to caring for others. She represents a different path for women, one of quiet sacrifice and service.

• Sumi’s Daughters: Represent the next generation, whose future is shaped by the experiences of their mother and grandmothers.

Major Themes

• Abandonment and its Impact: The central theme is the profound impact of abandonment, not just physically but emotionally, on individuals and families. It explores the psychological aftermath of such an event.

• Family Relationships and Intergenerational Patterns: The novel meticulously examines the complex dynamics within a multi-generational family, highlighting how patterns of behavior, emotional detachment, and unspoken sorrows can be passed down through generations.

• The Search for Meaning and Connection: Faced with the inexplicable, the characters struggle to find meaning in their lives and to forge genuine connections with each other, particularly in the absence of traditional male support.

• Time and Memory: The novel plays with the concept of time, moving fluidly between past and present, suggesting that the past is not truly past but continues to shape the present. Memory is a tool for understanding and healing.

• Female Solidarity and Resilience: Despite their individual struggles, the women in the novel find strength and support in each other, forming a resilient network that helps them cope with adversity.

Literary Style

• Non-Linear Narrative: The story unfolds through a fragmented, non-linear structure, with frequent flashbacks and shifts in perspective, mirroring the way memory works and gradually revealing the family’s history.
• Introspective and Meditative Tone: The prose is deeply introspective, focusing on the characters’ inner thoughts, feelings, and reflections, creating a contemplative atmosphere.
• Understated Emotion: Deshpande conveys profound emotional pain and resilience with subtlety and restraint, avoiding melodrama.
• Symbolism: The ancestral home itself can be seen as a symbol of continuity, tradition, and the repository of family history and secrets.

Critical Reception and Legacy

A Matter of Time is highly regarded for its psychological depth, its sensitive portrayal of family dynamics, and its nuanced exploration of abandonment and resilience. It further solidified Shashi Deshpande’s reputation as a master of introspective fiction and a powerful voice for women’s experiences in India. The novel remains a poignant and relevant work, offering insights into the enduring complexities of human relationships and the quiet strength found in facing life’s uncertainties.