Empathy In Rene Denfeld's The Enchanted

For me, Rene Denfeld’s The Enchanted has easily become a beloved book. It’s shocking to me, considering how dark the content is. But I find the humanity she has laced throughout brings the book to a beautiful balance. Books covering dark topics like sexual abuse, the horrors of foster care, and corrupt prisons can be an exhausting experience. Yet, I found Denfeld brought a certain level of empathy to her story. Empathy that created a sense of hope, which I found inspiring. Especially when it came to craving acceptance and overcoming the fear to obtain it. Denfeld explored this marvellously through different character’s and their stories. Thanks to the empathy throughout the story, I found it easy to connect with each different character's …show more content…
She and the fallen priest develop a bond throughout the book. He reveals his past, his sins, to her. And as she always does, she sees him completely and doesn’t look away. The lady accepts him for who he is, what he has done, and the pain he bears. I believe that his bravery in opening up to her prompted her to do the same. The lady allowed the priest to see into her, know her past and her trauma. Yet even after this, she still held fear. “I can accept your shame, she thinks. Can you accept mine?” She is still fearful of not being accepted. The lady was afraid that after the priest went home and processed all she had told him, he would reject her. In her heart, she feared that the priest would find her shame too much to …show more content…
Arden pushed past his fear to help another. The lady, in return, needed the push. When I let someone in, it wasn’t entirely for myself. It was to show a form of understanding and acceptance to another. My friend had revealed their monsters to me. I won’t go into details, as that is not my story to tell, but I will say that it broke my heart. I wasn’t sure how to help him. I could see the fear in his eyes when he revealed this to me. The fear was of my rejection. Fear that, now that I knew his story, I would deem him a freak and walk away. I wanted him to know that it was okay, and it didn’t change him in my eyes. I needed him to know that no matter what, he will always be my friend. I also wanted him to know that he wasn't alone and didn't need to be. So, I accepted his past, and told him mine. I let him know my truth. We found solace in each other, and knowing we weren't alone. I needed the push of his bravery to find my own. He was the first person, outside of my family, that I let see. He was willing to face my rejection of him and his past, and this bravery pushed me. I wanted to be open with him, not only to be accepted, but to show him that I understood his pain. We needed a push from each other to move forward. Thanks to his bravery, I am much more willing to let people see. I’ve discovered that if someone can’t accept your past, they don’t deserve to be a part of your future. So, much like the lady, I needed the