Presenter: Saya Zeleznik, College of Humanities, English
Authors: Saya Zeleznik
Faculty Advisor: Howard Horwitz, College of Humanities, English
Institution: University of Utah
Is love an agreement or a collaboration? The short story “This Blessed House” by Jhumpa Lahiri explores the collaborative nature of love. Two newlyweds, Sanjeev and Twinkle, move into a new home, where Twinkle discovers Christian paraphernalia about the property left by the previous tenants. She dubs the paraphernalia the “blessedness” of the house. When Twinkle wants to display the blessedness around their home, Sanjeev strongly objects and subsequently inhibits the growth of love in their relationship. Sanjeev views himself independently in the relationship. He prefers traditional customs of marriage and the household and is unwilling to accommodate Twinkle’s desires. Sanjeev has married largely to end his loneliness, not as an opportunity to build something with another person. Sanjeev does not understand how love factors into his marriage to Twinkle, and consequently does not know how to cultivate it within the relationship. Twinkle sees love as a collaboration. She desires to build their home together and develop new traditions; a successful relationship for her involves moving in together, displaying the blessedness of the house, and cooking spontaneous meals. Twinkle views their marriage as the start of a new endeavor, not as the end of loneliness. Jhumpa Lahiri’s portrayal of love in “This Blessed House” underscores the collaborative nature of relationships. Romantic relationships thrive on honesty, communication, and understanding that is best achieved through mutual collaboration. Although Sanjeev does not know exactly what love is, he learns to foster growth in the relationship and collaborate towards a future with Twinkle.