The story’s setting is a home in Boston that has been neglected, reflecting the disrepair of the couple’s deteriorating relationship as well as Shukumar’s mental state. All around the couple are signs that their life together stopped six months before the power outages. When tragedy struck, Shoba stopped collecting and preserving food, and Shukumar has been steadily using up all the food in the pantry to make their meals. The plant by the kitchen sink has not been watered, which shows more of their neglect. The kitchen table is littered with mail and “unread” library books. These details show that the couple has stopped caring about the appearance and upkeep of their house. They also haven’t received any guests except Shoba’s mother, who came right after the baby died, even though before the tragedy, they had guests frequently. After the death of their child, life in the house came to a standstill, but this seems especially true for Shukumar, who can barely leave home. He even forgets to do mundane tasks like brushing his teeth. He burrows into the house, while Shoba spends more and more time away from it. After the tragedy, the house is a stagnant place full of bad memories and impossible grief.