Matchbox (Detailed Summary)

on September 22, 2018

Matchbox

-Ashapurna Debi

Detailed Summary

“Matchbox” is a short story which is written by Ashapurna Debi. The writer says that she used to compare women with matchboxes because of certain reasons. Both of them outwardly appear to be very calm and quiet. They can be seen in the kitchen, pantry and bedroom but have the power to explode.

In order to prove Ashapurna Debi's statement, she gives an example. The story is set in a three-storey house. It is Sunday morning. Nomita is collecting the Ajit's “dirty clothes” in order to give to the washerman. She finds a letter from his dress' pocket which is crumbled one. After looking at the date, she understands that the letter is meant for her which came a few days before. She gets angry when she realises that Ajit has opened the letter before but did not feel to tell her. She is fed up with Ajit's this bad nature. She told him several times to stop this nature but he did not.

Nomita finds that the letter is from her mother who as usual is asking to send her money in order to rectify her damaged house. She is a poor widow who raised her daughter by her own effort and married her to a wealthy family. The mother thinks that Nomita is leading a calm and cosy life. Ajit used to insult her whenever her mother asks her to send money by sending a letter. She is ashamed by this. So she decides to tell her mother, “I can't do any more, don't hope for anything from me”.

At that moment, Ajit comes there. Immediately she asks about the arrival of the letter. He gives a vague reply to her. The reality is that he deliberately does not inform her about the mother's letter. He at first tells that he has forgotten. When she again indicts him for his bad manner, he tells, “Shouldn't I make sure that no one's passing you love letter in secret?” This sentence makes Nomita furious. She should not bear his suspicious talk. They begin to indict each other.

Ajit tells that even if Nomita yells or screams at him, she cannot do anything.

This fumes Nomita. She takes a matchbox and fires the anchol of her sari. Ajit never expects this reaction from her and he begins to scare a little bit. He says that anger is not good for a woman.

Suddenly, Nomita’s niece, Rini, appears there to inform her that the washerman is waiting for Nomita to give Ajit’s dress. She immediately leaves Ajith and goes downstairs to give the dress to the washerman. After giving the dress to the washerman, she goes to the kitchen where other women in the house are cooking food. They tease Nomita for being late.

Accidentally, Boro-wife notices that Nomita’s anchol is burnt. Nomita lies that the anchol was burnt while she was taking a hot pot of water from the stove. As the story ends, Ashapurna Debi sadly tells that women suppress their agonies and pain in front of others and pretend as if nothing has happened. This is the sad reality. In front of others, they eulogize their husbands who may have physically and mentally abused her. Men also know that women will keep their mouth shut in the public.

Important links to other chapters in unit 1 and unit 2