Monday, January 31, 2011
This Blessed House
After reading and rereading this story, i can honestly say that i have not read anything quite like this. The author, Jhumpa Lahiri, does a very interesting job in writing this story. The more the reader gets involved in this story, the more the readers sees the little details that change the meaning. I loved how this story was almost like getting to know someone, in which as the reader reads this story, we see how Sanjeev and his newly wed wife Twinkle have a interesting marriage. I liked how the reader gets to know the character as the read the story. also, she does an amazing job when she describes different scenes in this story, for example, the way she describes his music that he listens too. i found it very interesting in the way that she choose to end this story as she simply states that he follows her into the room. i almost interpret that as she is saying that Twinkle leads the marriage, because the whole story she gets her way. Sanjeev has an actual indian history and is clearly not a Christian, and Twinkle is also clearly not a christian and a good clue to this is that she states that they are not christians and she smokes (which does not define a Christian). I almost feel compassionate for Sanjeev as he seems to be in a bad situation. it seems that he is slowly finding out that love takes a lot of compromise, but it seems that Twinkle does not want to compromise at all. i like that this story seems real. this seems like a real life situation and this type of situation probably happens every day. In marriage, i highly doubt that the couple will agree on everything that comes up, however it is how a couple deals with the problems and situations that make them great. one question that this text brought to my mind was; did he regret marrying twinkle? At one point in this story, it seems that he is actually regretting his marriage as he looks back to the women that his mother introduced him too. Also, one thing that caught my attention was that twinkle never said that she loved him back, and she is the one who was in a loving relationship before. that would scare me if i was Sanjeev. Also, Sanjeev really seems to be caught up in his image as he really strives to keep his house clean and he cares so much about his reputation. As a whole, this story was not dark, but it was not uplifting either. I think that this story was a real life situation that one can learn a lot from.
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it sounds like you're "getting it."
ReplyDeleteI like this that you said: "I loved how this story was almost like getting to know someone". I agree.
I also agree that the story was not dark nor all sweetness and roses. But it did seem pretty realistic. And in the realism there was some sweetness and darkness sprinkled in, I think.
Also, you say that smoking does not define a Christian. But certainly not smoking doesn't define a Christian either. Obviously, smoking is bad for your health. But does the New Testament say anything like: Being a Christian = Not Smoking? Might the idea that smoking is bad be a cultural idea or even a medical one (a pretty good idea, I may add) rather than a spiritual truth? Being able to tell the difference is pretty important in doing any kind of cross-cultural ministry.