This Blessed House by Jhumpa Lahiri

 This Blessed House by Jhumpa Lahiri


 

Instead of a spoiler alert I will say that, although I will not reveal the plot, what happens at the end…I will write more about what crossed my mind when reading this story and now, that I write a few notes about it.

Jhumpa Lahiri was a very pleasant and long expected surprise. I have ventured into new territory recently and the books I have (tried to) read have not been very enjoyable.

I am reading a collection of modern, but established writers which has helped me understand that I am conservative, and the few modern writers that I like are more the exception than the rule.

Because Jhumpa Lahiri has a simpler pattern and accessible approach, I managed to make head and tail and even liked a few characters.

I see myself in them may be a psychological and reasonable explanation. It is hard to create a bond with characters that seem to come from Mars. Although that’s what SF readers probably look for.

Once in a while I fall for an E.T. or some alien story, but that is a rare event.

We have descendants of Indian populations in my own country- the Rroma community has its roots in India and there are a number of features which may sense out of this claim. The color of the skin, the kind of music…not the Buddhist or Hindu visions of life though.

The people from the stories of Lahiri have more in common with the Americans, than the Rroma living on a street near me, or the Indians taking their buffalo t to the river in Bangalore.

They have been born and raised there, even if they sometimes wear saris, do not know how to drive (Mrs. Sen) and eat weird vegetables and hot and spicy foods.

These culinary treats from all over the world have entered the mainstream in America and other places. It is not as “American” to eat tandoori as hamburgers form Burger King, but it is not in any way odd.

Even places like Romania have restaurants with Eastern, Lebanese, Indian, even Japanese specific.

The strange fact in this story is not the food, the Indian habits- it is the presence of Christian paraphernalia: icons, sculptures- a bust of Jesus.

The heroine kisses a Jesus on His head, an image which I thought funny and interesting. Orthodox, religious conservatives may see that as blasphemous, but then they tend to see so many things in a hard line, fanatic way- which seems to be as much against the letter of the Bible as the acts of those who flat out deny the Holy book.

I enjoyed the story and if you are interested in reading some of mine, there you go:

www.realini.blogspot.ro

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