The title Beautiful Ruins is a paradox. The word ruins has a depressed connotation, while the word beautiful has a more joyful connotation.Throughout the book there are instances that allude to the meaning of title. The art in the pillbox bunker that remained in Porto Verogna is one example. Among all the tragedies of World War II these beautiful paintings were created. The story Alvis wrote could also refer to the title. It was a sad, yet moving story that reveals the mental strain that War puts on soldiers and others involved. Violence, inhumane conditions, and death changes a person. However this beautiful story came out of all this pain and made an big impact on Dee.
"The book...is good yes?" Pasquale's mother had never liked Alvis Bender as much as Pasquale and his father did. If the man was such a brilliant writer, she said, why had he only written one chapter in eight years?
'It's sad,' Dee said, and she put her hand on her chest. Pasquale couldn't look away from those lovely fingers splayed out over the tops of Dee Moray's breasts.
'Oh, no, it's very good,' she said. 'It has a kind hopelessness that made me feel less alone in my own hopelessness,"(Walter 106)
In these cases art was created from deep pain and emotions. Do you think this beauty is worth it, if it had to come from so much pain? What do you think Beautiful Ruins refers to?
There is a country song called "Helluva Life" by Frankie Ballard that says: "Bad times make the good times better". I think this is a very accurate quote that applies to the idea that it is worth suffering the pain because of the beauty it produces. If it weren't for the bad times, no one would be able to appreciate the good times.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the many meanings that you said beautiful ruins has in this novel. I think in a sense, most of the character's lives are filled with beautiful ruins. For example, when Pat reflects on his life he has to see all of the substance-abuse he struggled with, the way he distanced himself from his aging mother, and the way he nearly lost the love of his life, Lydia, due to his immaturity. Yet, Pat was able to overcome all of these things, and attain a stable, happy life for himself. He was able to repair broken relationships, and get past his vices to the point where he can look at all of the "beautiful ruins" of his past, and be thankful because his hardships undoubtedly shaped the successful man he became.