False Hope

Short stories are brief and often focused on only a few characters.  In both Shiloh and A Temporary Matter the focus is on a husband and wife who have experienced a loss.  In both pieces the structure of the story sets up the reader to make certain assumptions about the outcome of the story, but then goes against the expectations at the conclusion.  The narration and point of view of both stories contribute to the element of surprise at the end of both pieces.  The combination of structure and narrator's point of view in both stories contributes to building up the element of surprise at the conclusion of each story.

In Shiloh, the plot is structured around husband and wife, Leroy and Norma Jean Moffitt, who have experienced much tragedy including the death of their infant child.  The narration is from a third person point of view which leaves many holes and questions in regard to what each character is actually thinking and feeling.  The structure builds up Leroy and Norma Jean by describing the ways they are both coping with their losses.  Leroy copes by obsessively planning the construction of a log cabin for he and his wife to reside in permanently, while Norma Jean copes by trying new activities such as going back to school and cooking new dishes.  The narrator's lack of information makes it seem as though both people are struggling with their losses but are trying to heal in order to rebuild their relationship that has fallen apart.  The structure and the narration builds up this expectation until the final scene when the pair goes to Shiloh.  They pack a picnic and laugh together.  It seems as though they will finally discuss their feelings and begin the healing process which is why it comes as a kind of disappointment when Norma Jean tells Leroy she is leaving him.  The story is structured to make it seem like Leroy and Norma Jean will eventually rediscover their love, and the narrator's third person point of view withholds information that would lead readers to assume otherwise.

Like Leroy and Norma Jean, Shoba and Shukumar in A Temporary Matter have experienced the death of their child and are struggling to manage.  The narration of this piece is done by the husband, Shukumar, which makes readers biased towards his feelings and opinions.  Like in Shiloh, the plot is structured around the two characters and appears to lead towards the eventual rediscovery of their lost love.  Much of the piece is structured around Shoba and Shukumar playing a game each evening in the dark during which they tell each other something that they never had before.  As the game unfolds, it seems as though the pair is falling back in love with each other through their honesty.  When the lights come back on and they are no longer in the dark, readers expect it to be the light at the end of a dark tunnel where two lovers find each other again.  Due to the fact that Shukumar is expecting this conclusion and readers are biased towards his opinions, the actual ending comes as a shock.  Like in Shiloh, the wife tells the husband that she is leaving him.  The structure and the narration had everyone thinking that the opposite would happen.  However, if the opposite had happened and the two rekindled their love, the story would not have been as riveting.

Both of these short stories exemplify what a crucial role the narration and structure play in building a story that is worth reading.  Due to the fact that in both stories the conclusion is not what most readers expect it to be, the story is more memorable and impactful.  After being invested in the lives of the two couples and expecting a positive outcome, it is almost as if the reader feels a loss as well.