User:Spadaccisn/sandbox

I am adding a section in the article On Beauty. The section is going under Themes and Motifs.

Beauty

Not only does Zadie Smith's work focus on physical beauty but it also looks at the concept of beauty itself and it's value. Throughout the work many of the characters look at beauty in different ways or some, like Monty and Howard, fail to look at the beauty in anything. Even in the materials that they teach in their art history classes, instead choosing to focus on politics. One character that only shows up once in the book is Katie Armstrong. It is through her view that the reader can see what Howard is missing in his classes. The material that he presents has such a high impact on her, is so beautiful to her, that she breaks down into tears (pg 250-253).

Monty's wife, Carlene, sees beauty better than her husband, as seen when she and Kiki discus the painting of the "Black Virgin," 'Maitresse Erzulie' (pg 174-175). Carlene does not love the painting because of the price but instead because of what it means to her and what it symbolizes, "She represents love, beauty, purity, the ideal female and the moon.." as well as the contradiction of representing "jealousy, vengeance and discord" (pg 175). Giving insight into what Carlene herself sees as beautiful in what makes the people she loves. The painting later becomes a controversial matter between the families when it is left to Kiki by Carlene while Monty and the Kipps only see the price of the painting for its value and not how much it mattered to their loved one (pg 277-280).