Looking for Inspiration

Whil reading A Simple Soul by Gustave Falubert, I wondered why he would choose such an ordianry being to be the story's main character. There is nothing particularly special about Felicite. She appears to be plain, ignorant and at times even stupid. I would say she doesn't capture the reader's attention at all. There is no reason for us to feel drawn to her. There is nothing inspirational or exceptional to be found in her. However, I believe that in some way, Felicite's dull characteristics are somewhat a result of the suffering she has been exposed to. I would personally expect the opposite from someone like her, who has faced such degrees of pain. From personal experience, I find that those who seem to have suffered the least are those who think less about what really matters. They tend to value things a great deal less. This is why I find that perhaps what appears to be Felicite's ignorance and stupidity are really a reflection of naiveness and innosence. From being heart broken, to having death at such proximity, I believe Felicite became numb to the pain. She grew distant from the excrutiating ahcing she had once experienced and instead became fond of those small joys life seldom offered her. Loulou, the parrot, is an example I find to be significant when it comes to this. The bird appeared to remind her of what she loved, it was something she thought resembled her good memories. This is why I think she holds on so tightly to the idea of this pet. Aside from it being an exotic creature she had never before been close to, she saw in its image the reflection of her deepest desires. As the story develops I found that Felicite was not exactly what I assumed her to be from the beginning. I found that perhaps I was mistaking stupidity for what in reality was good will. In my opinion these are the characters that inspire us the most. The ones we cannot read right away. The ones we don't quite get at first. Felicite was one of these characters. What I assumed to be emptiness was in reality a shield against the pain the world had brought upon her. Felicite brought me inspiration. She gave me an idea of what I want my characters to be like. I want them to surprise the reader, to show them what they never expected. And to inspire them further more.