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Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work.

The Finality of Loss

A major theme of the story is the finality of loss. The loss of the child cannot be overcome by the couple. Shukumar tells how Shoba is still able to have children, but the thought of getting pregnant again never enters the narrative as a possibility. In one particularly telling memory, Shukumar describes when Shoba came home from the hospital. She goes around the house meticulously removing things from the wall, the kitchen cabinets, and the living room, and throws them all in a pile on the floor. Then, she finally cries. This action shows that Shoba cannot allow the house to remain as it was as she removes the items in a symbolic gesture of her grief. This, along with the other changes in her behavior, paints the picture of a woman who cannot move on. 

Shukumar is also subject to the impossibility of moving on after a devastating loss. He still manages to cook dinners, but he cannot connect to his wife the way he used to or focus on his dissertation. These actions show not only his inability to move on, but also the stagnating effect of his guilt at not being there for Shoba when she was in labor. Neither member of the couple can move on from the loss, and they seem to accept the permanency of grief over the course of the story. The loss of the child ultimately is the loss of the relationship, at least as it existed before the tragedy.

The Effects of Keeping Secrets from a Loved One

The story’s action revolves around the effects of the couple keeping secrets from each other. Each night during the power outage, the couple confesses secrets, which appear benign at first, but they grow and ultimately lead to the dissolution of their marriage. Shukumar ponders what secret he will tell each night as if he has an endless supply of them. His secret about the picture of the woman seems to be the largest, while Shoba admits to never liking one of his poems. These secrets are weightier than what came before, but not as big as the secrets that tumble out on the fifth night. Thematically, the author stresses how secret-keeping is a symptom of a failing relationship, but sharing their secrets causes the couple to grow closer. They find that they can talk to each other again after sharing certain secrets in their nightly ritual. Releasing the secrets even causes them to kiss and eventually make love again, restoring the nearly non-existent physical aspect of their marriage. However, the larger secret looming on the horizon is Shoba’s plan to leave Shukumar, which the author purposefully shrouds not only from him but also from the reader. Shukumar realizes that the smaller secrets were a way for Shoba to build up the courage to tell him about the apartment she has rented. He responds by telling his biggest secret, the sex of their stillborn child, which has likely contributed to his depression and their disconnection these last few months.

Reconnection in Hard Times

Although the story’s ending implies an impending breakup, the action of the story is thematically tied to reconnection in difficult times. The couple spends consecutive nights of power outages growing closer during a difficult time in their marriage. They reconnect by sharing secrets they have kept over the years of their relationship. Up to this point, they have been unable to talk to each other in the face of their family’s tragedy. But now, due to the nightly ritual of the power going out, they can reconnect in the shadows despite their inner darkness. When they share secrets, they feel better for being truthful, and these small acts of honesty and vulnerability help the couple feel closer. For Shoba, the sharing of secrets allows her to practice being honest until she is ready to share her biggest confession: she is moving out and leaving Shukumar. Despite the game of confessions being Shoba’s sneaky way of building courage, the couple still reconnects and re-builds lost intimacy, both emotional and physical.

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