The story Matchbox is a beautiful one written by Ashapurna Debi. It tells us callanges or problems faced by a women in our society. To substantiate women are like matchboxes Ashpurna Debi tells us the sotry of Nomita and Ajit. Nomita is the wife of Ajit. She is from a poor family. Her mother frequently writes letters requesting money. Ajit opens and reads letters addressed to Nomita without her permission. This behaviour of Ajit hurts Nomita’s self respect. She had told him many times not to do it. Nomita becomes angry and quarrels with Ajit. Nomita, flaming with anger, picks a matchbox and lights a stick and puts it on her sari which instantly catches fire. Ajit rushes and with his bare hands, he puts out the fire. Soon after this quarrel, she goes back to the kitchen. She even tells lies about the burning of her sari. She pretends as if nothing has happened. She faces many problems from the part of her husband, mother, sisters in laws etc. In the story, Nomita represents the typical Indian village woman.
Prepare a write up on Indian joint families on the basis of the story ‘Matchbox’ written by Ashapurna Debi.
The protagonist of the story Matchbox Nomita lives in Ajit’s joint family. Ajit is her husband and there are 26 members in his family. It includes Ajit’s brothers and their wives and children. There were many joint families in India but now most of them were turned into nuclear families. Both has its merits and demerits. As a woman Nomita gets sharp words from her sisters in law for spending time with her husband in her room. There will have many jobs like cleaning, preparing food, attending children etc. The work load of the woman will be high because of the number of the poeple in a joint family. Nomita also has to satisfy others in her joint family.
