Twinkle

      While re-reading “This Blessed House,” by Jhumpa Lahiri, I decided to focus all of my thoughts on the character, Twinkle. As I read I examined Twinkle’s every movement. I examined all the little personal habits of Twinkle that the author subtly snuck in throughout the story. I also highlighted anywhere she spoke throughout the story. I noticed that the author focuses much of the story on Twinkle. However, she focuses on the way Sanjeev, views Twinkle. The story almost seemed biased in some areas when describing Twinkle. It seemed like Lahiri wanted her audience to read the story through Sanjeev’s point of view. Somehow this makes it not as difficult to relate to Sanjeev as it would be if the story were written through Twinkle’s point of view.

     On another note, I found it very interesting that the author starts the story off with Twinkle speaking first. The story begins and Twinkle speaks first saying, “Guess what I found?” Already it was easy for me to see the type of person Twinkle was. She asked Sanjeev to “guess” what it is that she found. Before I even continued reading, I could almost imagine the type of personality Twinkle had through that one phrase. As I read on the author developed the personality of Twinkle so well, I found it easy to project the type of wife she was. Throughout the opening scene between Twinkle and Sanjeev, I was able to note that Twinkle was carefree and practical. She insisted on keeping the items throughout the house that she found because in her eyes she found it useful. She said, “but I can cook something with the vinegar. It’s brand-new” (Lahiri pg.136). 

     After reading the on I was able to start to really develop who the author was making Twinkle out to be. Twinkle was a fun, carefree imaginative sort of soul. She was young at heart and really new how to make people love her. She was extremely considerate of others, however, she was not going to let anyone override her. Twinkle knew how to really appreciate the little things in life. She was confidant in who she was and didn’t really care what anyone thought about her. “She was like that, excited and delighted by little things, crossing her fingers before any remotely unpredictable event, like tasting a new flavor of ice cream, or dropping a letter in a mailbox” (Lahiri 142). I believe the author constructed Twinkle’s character to a “T,” making it very easy for readers to grasp the extreme differences in Twinkle and Sanjeev.