This Blessed House

In This Blessed House we see the how characters really are the central focus of good literature. And not only is this more character based than plot based, it also has characters growing and shaping right in front of us.
I enjoyed this short story for it’s characters more than anything else. There is so much insight to each character, and I almost felt as if I could relate to them. I believe the more you can relate to a character, the more involved you’ll be with the story. In stories that have plain characters or stereotypical characters, we often are left with no surprise because we already know what they will do. But when the characters are more life-like, more “me-like”, we then are vulnerable for new twists in turns.
My favorite character in This Blessed House is Sanjeev. Through each flip of the page we see his skepticism rising up and his inner battle with what he assumes and what he knows is true.
On page 1072, “He did not know if he loved her. He said he did when she had first asked him…that afternoon he had replied, yes, he loved her and she was delighted…Though she did not say it herself, he assumed then that she loved him too, but now he was no longer sure. In truth, Sanjeev did not know what love was, only what he thought it was not…”
This passage is a beautiful illustration of Sanjeev’s uncertainty. How many times have we sat in our chairs, at our desks, wondering if someone loved us the way we loved them? Or even wondered if we could ever love? Sanjeev is not perfect. He is real. He is doubtful. He gets angry. He gets skeptical. He is uncertain of things as big as love and that’s okay.

Flaws help a character change and develop into someone real. If we read a book with perfect characters, the stories would be boring and predictable. If we read a book with flawed characters, the story is exciting, eventful, and even enjoyable.