Friday, September 12, 2008

This Blessed House

Do you think that Sanjeev and Twinkle are compatible? If you were their relationship counselor, what advice would you give to them? Do you think their relationship will survive?

What do you make of the final line? "Sanjeev pressed the massive silver face to his ribs, careful not to let the feather hat slip, and followed her" (157).

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

No, Sanjeev and Twinkle are definitely not compatible. Sanjeev, is still loyal to his culture and religion, whereas Twinkle believes that they should obey and follow the Christian customs. She even changed her Indian name to something that sounds more American, this shows us she has no faith in her Indian ethnicity yet expresses immense pride in Christianity. Even though the two do not get along, I would advise them to share their thoughts about beliefs equally and instead of just putting up statues of jesus, they can also put up ornaments or anything that expresses the indian culture. I do think their relationship will survive, but it will have no meaning of love in it. This is because Sanjeev believes he should be a good husband and protect their lives even if they will not be happy together. This is portrayed in the last line of the story, he shows that he has to be loyal in order to keep the relationship running.

Rosa S said...

I don't think that they're compatible at all. Twinkle is a free spirit who's very emotional but can be very easy-going about things like religion. Sanjeev, on the other hand, is more stiff and unrelenting, and not very willing to compromise. Then again, neither is Twinkle, and I think that's the problem they have. My advice to them would be to consider their partners feelings a little more, and to compromise. Twinkle can't always get her way. She also needs to learn that when she makes promises, like taking the figures off the mantle, she should carry them out.

The final line made me feel like Sanjeev just gave up. The fact that the face is pressed into his ribs seems painful, but he's dealing with it anyway. I think it's a metaphor for the pain and annoyance he's feeling, and the feather hat is his patience. He's being careful not to let it slip, but throughout the story, it really felt like Sanjeev was getting closer and closer to losing his temper and just exploding.

Childers said...

Great comments! Rosa, I especially liked your analysis of the last line of the story.

Anonymous said...

they are not compatible but sanjeev obviously did want to make it work. twinkle is much more free-spirited and care-free. the advice i would have given them is that they should be considerate of each other's feelings. i felt like twinkle should have respected sanjeev's opinions because sanjeev did try to compromise.the last line meant "if you cant beat them join them". no matter how many times he told twinkle how he felt, he still compromised,for the sake of the relationship.

Anonymous said...

Sanjeev and Twinkle are definitely not compatible. Sanjeev is insecure to the point that he is jealous of his wife's effect on people seemingly without trying, while he goes out of his way to impress people and noone seems to notice. Twinkle challenges everything that comforts Sanjeev, like stability, control, and tradition. I'd advise them to agree to disagree and to communicate more and speak about each other's feelings to get to know each other better emotionally, which would develop a deeper bond between them so that their differences eventually complement and stimulate each other rather than irritate. The final line shows Sanjeev accepting the passive role in the relationship with reluctance but peace knowing that he doesn't have to work hard to please her by doing so.

Anonymous said...

Sanjeev and Twinkle are not compatible, they don't even seem to like each other. It seems to me that Sanjeev finds Twinkle more annoying that loving. While both of them are of the same religion Sanjeev follows it while Twinkle wants to keep Christain posters in the house. Sanjeev is like one of those guys that is straight foward and straight laced but Twinkle is one of those out there people so i don't think they are compatible. If i was a marrige counsler i would try and have them find things that they share interest in. Also i suggest that they try and communicate better and don't hold our thought try and express your feelings more. It seems to me that Sanjeev has certain feelings about Twinkle's actions but he just hasn't come out and said that it was bothering him.
I think that the last line of the story shows that Sanjeev has given up on fighting with Twinkle. It seems that he just doesn't care about the Christain things anymore. It also seems like he is feed up with this marrige like he wants to end it. I think he has come to the point where he just doesn't care about the relationship anymore.

Anonymous said...

They are 100 percent not compatible. If i was there conselour, i would tell Twinkle to open up her eyes and consider the fact that she begins to follow the wrong religion. I would also say to Twinkle that in a way she does things just because Sanjeev tells her not too. Twinkle is unprepared for a serious relationship and for that matter marriage as well. There is no way the relationship will last because sooner or later Sanjeev will become fed up with her sulfishness and i say this with evidence of depression, may commit suicide or just leave twinkle all together.

Anonymous said...

i think they are more compatible then we are giving them credit for. two opposites make a whole if they were exactly the same they would be constantly bumping heads. if i was their counselor i would ask twinkle to explain why she became so enamored with the objects and i would ask sanjeev to explain why he didnt want them up everywhere, not just because they weren't christian. i thought twinkle was very religious in that she was able to embrace something that was so cherished by someone of a different faith and not just dismiss it as being wrong because she didn't believe the same way. i think in the last line that sanjeev saw how this thing brought every body together while he was left on the outside worrying about inconsequential things and him embracing was him opening up, and wanting to become a part of what was going on

Anonymous said...

i dont think that sanjeev and twinkle are compatible. they are total opposites of each other shes always wanting to have fun and go out and do fun things and he just wants to stay home hes like a bore.i think that she owns him and even though he mentions sometimes that he doesnt approve, shes still takinng control over him. in this way i think they are both at fault. sanjeev is at fault for allowing everything shes doing and twinkle is at fault because she doesnt care about anything but these litle treasure hunts, shes turning it into a little game rather than actually using these things shes finding religiously. i think theyll end up having a vey bad relationship and marriage but sanjeev would be quiet to divorce her. i think that the last line was to say he gave up he tried very little to change what twinkle was doing but in the end there was nothing left to do but give up.

Anonymous said...

i also think that the name of the story is very funny. its called this blessed house becaause of all the statues and pictures of jesus and the little things about christianity that are so blessed but really its kind of opposite. in a way it could be called this cursed house because all of these statues are ruining the couples relationship so that not its not a blessing at all.

Childers said...

Interesting perspective, Jason!
I also, like your analysis of the title, Loraine.

Anonymous said...

i do not think sankeev and twinle are compatible, i think they thought they loved each other but when they realized which direction they were both heading they realized they are not ment for each other. i would tell twinkle she has to compromise a little more she cant always get her way. but i dont think this advice will help the relationship survive. twinkle is to stuborn to comprimise and help their relationship last.the last line sounds like he is imagining cin his mind crushing the statueinto twinkle rinbs thats how angry he is with her.

Anonymous said...

i dont think they make a good couple. They are on two different maturity levels and it seems like he is like an older sibling or a parent to her. I would tell them that they need resolve their own personal flaws if they want their marrige to last. he needs to explain himslef more clearly and have more patience for her antics. she needs to grow up and to stop being so oblivious. They both need to figure eachother subtleties and flaws and find ways in which to cope with them. i dont think its completely hopless but it will take alot of work from both of them. The final line sort of lets us no that sanjeev has given up and decides that hes not going to fight her anymore and relizes that its not worth the reltionship.