Holding On
to What Truly Matters: The Significance of Cherishing
Relationships Before Time Slips Away in Preethi Shenoy’s The
Hundred Little Flames.
Dr. P. Sasikala
ABSTRACT
Family ties, intergenerational relationships, and
finding love in unexpected places are all explored in the endearing
modern novel A Hundred Little Flames (2017). After losing his job in
Bengaluru, Ayan, a young guy, is forced to live with his 80-year-old
grandfather, Gopal Shanker, in a small Keralan hamlet. At first,
Ayan feels cut off from both the location and the person as he
struggles with the rustic way of life and his grandfather’s
traditional traditions. But as time goes on, he and his grandfather
grow close, learning about family secrets, old tales, and the value
of friendship and perseverance. The novel’s fundamental themes—love,
grief, forgiveness, and the need to preserve relationships before
it’s too late—are encapsulated in Shenoy’s signature mix of
relatability and emotional depth.
Keywords: Gratitude, Forgiveness, Time, Family bonds, Friendship,
Companionship, Regret and Memories.
