Boris's plan is sketchy and largely unexplained. Why does Theo jump in so quickly with relatively few questions?
Again, there seems to be a final goodbye to Pippa. What does Theo's "tableau" show us?
p. 649 Amsterdam is described as being "like a place where you might come to let the water close over your head." Is this foreshadowing? Explain.
During their breakfast meeting after arriving in Amsterdam, Boris becomes somewhat menacing. Why does he seem so unpredictable and criminal in this scene? What makes it so menacing?
Why, with all the potential danger, is Boris concerned with a parking ticket?
The retrieval of the painting seemed to go too smoothly. How might that have foreshadowed the chaos that was to ensue in the parking garage?
p. 695 "Time destroys us all soon enough. But to destroy, or lose, a deathless thing -- to break bonds stronger than the temporal -- was a metaphysical uncoupling all its own, a startling new flavor of despair." Thoughts on this quote? How is it significant?
Why does Theo think of his father at the end of the chapter? How does that fit with the scene? What does that last sentence mean to you?
And what about the passport that was left in the car...?
61 comments:
The quote on page 639 states "We have art in order not to die from the truth." They I understand this quote is that art is the way for the soul to express itself. Without it we become trapped in the hell that is our own mind. Without art there is no way to express the things are are going through one's mind and it becomes unbearable. Art is the window to the soul. This fits into the story so well. Theo and his mother were both very connected to art. They didn't need to understand it they just appreciated it for what it was. The painting helps Theo feel connected to is mother. He didn't steal it for the game of crime he took it to feel closer to his mom.
I think Theo agreed so quickly to Boris because it was easier than staying at the engagement party and it could possibly be a chance to relive old times just like Vegas.
I think the quote from page 695 is significant because it shows Theo realizes that all living things die, and the one thing that wouldn't die, he has lost just the same. His mother was killed in the museum bombing, as was Welty; his father was killed in an accident; and then he had to leave Boris; then Andy and Mr. Barbour drowned; on top of all that, the acknowledgement that Pippa will never love him like he loves her crushes him. Because of this, Theo learns to not get too attached to people, because they always leave him. Throughout his life, he projected his love onto the painting instead of people, and now he has lost it, as well as the feelings and faith he had in it. The "deathless thing" is basically dead to Theo now, and he feels a new, last-resort type of despair in this.
The events of the novel leading up to the retrieval of the painting, namely Theo's endless anxiety and Boris's endless reassurances, made it seem like the beginning of a typical "deal gone wrong" scene that anyone could watch within half an hour of any conventional detective show. It seemed like life was finally lining up for Theo after he got his painting back; it's only natural that something would go horribly wrong in a dramatic twist of fate. The events that would later transpire were foreshadowed during the deal itself. When the guns started flying, Theo had mentioned to the reader and to himself that he thought he saw someone in the back room of the restaurant that had later fled. What seemed like a minor character or minor flaw in their plan had later become a major problem that had foreshadowed the events in the parking garage as well as the death of two men by Theo's hands.
I think what made Boris so menacing when Theo suggested to call the art police was Boris's pure anger. All the time that the pair had known each other, from high school to adulthood, Boris had always been a sweet-talker. Boris never needed to fight too hard to persuade another person to agree with him.
Boris thinks Theo will trust him and be willing to comply to whatever he says the plan will be, but things weren't falling in place like he had hoped. Boris needs to be in charge. Boris needs to come up with the plan. His annoyance with Theo not realizing these things became the cause for a sudden outburst of anger.
The passports left in the car seem a little sketchy to me. Boris was certain that everything would go over smoothly, so certain that anything other than his plan was not going to work. Theo is very nervous about the whole situation (as any person would be), but Boris goes to great lengths to assure Theo that everything was going to work out. So why leave the passports in the car? What was he so afraid of? Boris mentions about the I.D. street checks, but unless they were nervous about getting caught (which Boris clearly wasn't), why would you even lock it up? I think Boris knew that the deal would turn bad, or at least he wasn't certain everything was going to go according to plan. Boris was unsure of what was going to happen, but didn't want to have Theo drop out on the plan. I think Boris was being evasive with Theo, and this left Theo totally unprepared for what would happen next.
Going off of what Abby said, leaving the passports in the car was 100% sketchy. However, I think Boris did it to protect Theo if anything goes wrong and would feel even worse if Theo was attached to the shady things Boris is connected to. Boris only wants to make things up with Theo, and that means dragging him into crime. By leaving the passports in the car, Boris showed faith that they would stay away from a random search, and that if things did go wrong, Theo would still be safe from identification. Boris knows that he is well known, so leaving his passport doesn't matter. He leaves his only because of good faith.
A parking ticket for Boris would mean that 1.) he is captured by that law. and 2.) he can't fix things for Theo. At this point, Boris knows that he can't get the painting back to Theo, but he can do the next best thing. The idea of returning the painting to the museum was put in his head earlier in the chapter by Theo, and I think became a plan B to Boris. Boris knows where he could send the Art Police, and he knows that Theo would also like the painting in safe hands. If Boris got a ticket, it would be revealed that he is a criminal, without identification, and can't even drive. He would definitely go to jail, and all of his planning would be ruined.
Theo goes along with Boris's plan because he trusts him. Boris is the only person who Theo trusts 100%, especially after all they went through together in Vegas. I believe that Theo knows that Boris will protect him above himself, and that of course reassures him, as it would anyone else. I believe that Theo also believes in Boris's ability to read people. If Boris trusts someone, then Theo can. Boris also explains the plan in such a way that it sounds very relaxed, and casual. If Theo thought it was a more formal deal, or more dangerous, he wouldn't have gone along with it so well, or he would at least have more questions about it.
I think Theo being so willing to go with Boris was a rash decision that had multiple factors affecting it. He was anxious about getting married, he trusted Boris, He desperately wanted to get his painting back and they all added up to just going along with the plan without seriously thinking about it first. The set up with Pippa's necklace nicely illustrates how Theo can kind of be prone to melodrama and thinking in symbolism, like, with their kiss he was thinking of it as this tender romantic moment when in reality she had been loopy on pain pills the entire time and willing to kiss the first person to walk into the room. Here he's thinking of the action as giving his beloved a parting gift before he goes off on a great journey, but instead he's giving a way to expensive gift to a friend who has politely declined his interest multiple times as he's about to disappear to an area he's disclosed the location of to no one for an amount of time not even he knows. Boris is worried about a parking ticket because he know they need the least amout of police attention possible in the state there in now.
I think Theo left with Boris so readily because he was not only excited about the possibility of getting the painting back but also because he was so unsure of his life in New York. He didn't want to marry Kitsey but felt it was his obligation to Mrs. Bardour. He also knew that he couldn't spend his life with Pippa as he wanted to. Theo needed to get out of New York with all of its frustrations and memories. What he didn't realize is that Boris didn't necessarily have a plan, and that things would turn out to be a lot worse in Amsterdam than they ever were in New York.
My understanding of the quote on page 639 is as follows: life is really a nasty, undesirable event, as is the world on which this life takes place; however, artwork in all its forms manages to focus on life's small beauties and thus deceive its viewers, for a moment, into forgetting that life entails more suffering than it does joy and peace. This quote eludes to the things Theo has grown to love throughout the novel. Theo's painting, for instance, serves as the main reason (and, for a time, virtually the only reason) that he has not completely destroyed his life. He cares for the painting and turns to it in times of fear and despair, knowing that it will never cease to mesmerize him. Very similarly, Hobie has taught Theo to be enlightened by the art of woodworking. Theo loves spending time in Hobie's shop, feeling surrounded by the lovely wooden pieces, watching in amazement as Hobie expertly restores the life and beauty of a broken artifact, and learning to do the same with his own hands. Creating art is just as therapeutic for Theo as the already-created work in his possession. In addition, there is a link among the three people to whom Theo has formed particularly special connections: a love of the arts. His mother, when still alive, found a refuge in studying paintings; Pippa was an ardent musician until her accident and continues to enjoy listening to classical music; Hobie finds so much joy in wood that, to him, it has become a living being meant to be treated with great care. These three people are all very special to Theo because they have opened his eyes to a non-destructive means of escaping from the immense sadness and disaster that is his life.
Considering how much time Tartt has spent building up the novel to this point, the ease with which Boris and Theo retrieve the painting is such a quick fix that I knew it couldn't possibly be the end of it. Theo's uneasiness throughout the exchange spoke to this, as well, and made the reader feel as unsure and startled as he was. Boris and the others packing guns led onto enough of this—despite his assurance that everything would be cordial, as an audience we were given clear signs that it wouldn't be; the passports in the car, the missing man, and the boy who ran away all brought a sense of unfinished business. I wasn't surprised when the strange, happy ending to the night was immediately cut off. Even further back, when Boris swooped in and swayed Theo away from his engagement party, the promise of the job only taking three days was the biggest sign that it, in fact, wouldn't.
I believe Theo went with Boris so quickly because he needed a reason to leave New York. Theo used it as a way to run from all his troubles, although things turned out worse away from New York than he expected. Theo never really wanted to marry Kitsey, but felt that it was now expected of him. He also knew he would never have his life with Pippa the way he wanted. Theo loved her but knew there was no way they would end up together. Many things played a factor in Theo leaving with Boris so readily, it was a way for him to leave all the bad memories and experiences behind.
Theo listens to Boris because he trusts him completely. They've been through so much together, more than Theo even realized. Boris was there for Theo even when Theo was blacked out drunk and Boris knew he wouldn't remember it; they were brothers. They've been through so much together and Theo knows that Boris would put Theo's safety far above his own. I think that this idea played a big role in Theo going along with Boris' plan, by helping reassure him and keep him calm. Theo also probably went along with the plan because not only was it last minute and he wanted to leave the party, but also because of the way Boris explained it. When he explained it to Theo, he made it sound a lot more relaxed than what it really was. Theo went along with Boris' plan for lots of reasons, but the main ones were because of how Boris explained it and because of the trust he already had in him.
The quote on pg.695 is very significant to Theo because it primarily sums up the whole book in a few simple lines. Like Jordan say's he loses all of his friends and close family to death and his love interest will never love him and it is a completely a discouraging fact. He has put trust and love and friendship into all of these people into his life and they all leave him so he truly loses his grasp on reality of the dead. Now since the painting is gone he has taken his emotional attachments that he has put on people to the painting he has lost, he sees the painting as a living-breathing object he acts as if he is a hoarder, everything has its own life or persona to it. Theo truly builds in a new type of despair, the despair of losing something that is inanimate and then losing it in some way.
Theo thinks of his father since he basically embodied all of the vices of society, gambling, smoking, using drugs, and drinking alcohol. Theo is reminded of his father after he committed a ghastly sin of taking two lives. This fits the scene because it matches the somber and brooding mood to a tee. It reminds the reader again that Theo is gambling with his life and freedom at this very moment. This last sentence only solidifies and foreshadows the trouble ahead. It infers that Theo is relying on a 'pattern' and sheer luck in order to not get caught as a murderer. This last sentence shows that nothing is constant and nothing can be for sure and optimistic and anything good that happens is just by a random chance.
Theo's anxiety about Amsterdam invades his entire perception of the city. He feels "cobblestoned loneliness" and sees the "edge-of-destruction" in the architecture. The city is confusing and Theo gets lost whenever left on his own. The author isn't just letting us in on Theo's paranoid thoughts; she's trying to let us know that this city harbors a dangerous future. All of these gloomy descriptions are probably alluding to the time Theo was left on his own after he killed Martin and loses the painting. This is the deepest of Theo's despair. He's alone, unable to contact Boris. He gets so devastated that he even contemplates suicide. Because Tartt chose to use the word "let"[the water close over your head], I think she's alluding to Theo's suicide-by-overdose attempt. She's saying the city would be a fitting place to die.
At the end of the chapter, Theo feels uncertain about his dad. Before, he knew, like all of the readers, that his dad was a disgusting excuse for a man with many problems, but when he says: "There's always more to things, a hidden level", he is reconsidering. Going along with this, Theo now realizes that his father taught his that there is darkness and bad in everything, even things thought to be light and good. Although I believe there is no redemption for his dad, Theo believes that since darkness can be found in another level of light, light can therefore be found in darkness (vice versa). Even his dad's favorite color of black hints at his darkness.
I think Theo left with Boris so readily because He wanted to get away from his life in New York. In New York he felt an obligation to marry Kitsey, but on the other hand he realized he can't have the life he wanted with Pippa. All in all New York contained bad memories and a lot of irritations, so Boris was he way out. Although Theo wanted to run away from his life in New York, he doesn't realize that going to Amersterdam with Boris is going to become much worse than his life in New York. This is because Theo doesn't know that Boris doesn't really have a solid plan. In addition I believe that Theo left with Boris readily because he wasn't excited for getting the painting back.
I agree with the above statements about Theo leaving with Boris. They have such a big history together and I believe that they both just want out. Theo wants to get out of New York because of all the bad feelings he has towards Kitsey and Pippa. He needs his way out of all of the problems, so he leaves with Boris, not knowing that life isn't going to be much better for him in Amsterdam.
I agree with what Austin & Jordan said above, but would like to add the similarity between Theo & his father at this point. Theo has lost everything now, not just the people in his life that were most important, but now the painting. Referencing back to the beginning of the story, Theo's father is explained to have seemed to lose everything that he 'wanted' in life persay. Therefore when he turns to drinking and then leaves for a "new life" he too must have been feeling much despair. I feel for Theo and anticipate what is to come for him, but at this point.. he really has nothing else to lose.
When Boris explains his plan to Theo the only thing Theo is thinking is getting the painting and nothing else. He also doesn’t ask questions because he trusts Boris and believes that he will be able to get the painting back easily with out to much hassle. Also he seems to have not fully grasps the magnitude of the situation and when he finally does realize magnitude it is too late.
In any movie that has a character retrieving something of high value always something goes wrong. Its almost like a mold for story writing. So when everything was all "fine and dandy" when getting their hands on the painting it almost immediately clicked in my head that something was going to go wrong, and when it did it went all downhill.
With the retrieval of the painting going so smoothly, foreshadowing was an obvious factor. Throughout the entire novel, things seem to go smoothly for Theo before taking a very sharp turn for the worse. Take for example Theo's relationship with Kitsey. Though the two are not entirely in love, as obvious to anyone, their relationship is logical for the both of them. They both need someone to care for them, while having their own space in the process. Theo is completely content with marrying Kitsey, and even trying to find a new apartment; a huge step considering how comfortable he feels at Hobie's home. This is all until the night Theo finds Kitsey cheating on him with Tom Cable. From there the relationship all seems to be built upon a lie. This is the case with most of what happens in Theo's life. With success to be only followed by failure, it was clear the painting would not be in his possession for very long.
Boris's menacing and criminal attitude at the breakfast meeting in this chapter is the attitude of a man who is at the edge of destruction and needs to do everything right. His confidence on how well this plan will go is simply overcompensating for how close he is to losing the painting, which is how he has been making his living on the black market all these years. If this deal doesn't go right he knows his whole career is ended. This also explains why he is so upset over the art police option too. Because he knows that if this doesn't work he might have to resort to the police, which would also mean the end to his career.
Theo so quickly left Boris because he had an opportunity to get the painting back. Theo also left with Boris because it was an escape from his troubles. Theo did trust Boris too. Leaving New York was an easy way out, at least that is what Theo thought at first. He had no idea that leaving for New York would be a bad idea. It was such a tempting offer to leave all his bad memories behind him and start fresh in New York.
Theo jumps so quickly at Boris’ plan to recover the painting without details because he has such a deep unexplained connection to the painting and needs it to think of his mother. Theo’s final goodbye to Pippa is a love confession and shows us he’s realizing he shouldn’t settle either. Boris is so concerned with a parking ticket because it could document his location and incriminate him. Like in any movie or story, the second the main characters think they are safe, things take a turn for the worst and they lose the painting again. The quote on pg 695 says to me that even though Theo has done wrong before, he has never felt any remorse for it until now.
I think Theo jumps into Boris' plan without much questioning because he really wants the painting back. He is upset that he let the painting out of his sight once already and he will do anything to get it back. He isn't really thinking of all the other details that Boris' plan may have. Also, Theo and Boris are still good enough friends that Theol trusts Boris.
I think Boris is so concerned with possibly getting a parking ticket because he doesn't want to leave any evidence of his whereabouts. If something goes very bad then the police may get involved. Having a parking ticket would show that Boris and the others were in the area and they would quickly become suspects.
Theo went with Boris so quickly because he was ready to finally return the painting and because he needed a reason to get out of New York. When things get complicated, some people just need to run away from their troubles. Theo saw his chance an took it, but he came to realize that things just got worse away from New York. Theo didn't want to marry Kitsey but felt as though it was expected of him from Mrs. Bardour. He loved Kitsey but he just knew they couldn't be together. He also knew he just couldn't have a life Pippa the way he wanted. Theo had to get out of New York.
I think that Theo jumped the gun and left with Boris was not surprising. He is in a whirldwind of emotions and is not secure in his mental state due to his rekindled love for Pippa and his dying one for Kitsey. He's been through it all with Boris and continues to put his trust in him despite the circumstances. Also, he was deperate to get the painting back into his possession and I think he was willing to do whatever it took to get it. Also, I think Theo is so okay with ditching the city in order to simply clear his mind and take a moment to figure out what his next steps are with the paining and his love life, which seems to be posing more difficulties for him than expected.
I think Theo so quickly and eagerly jumped into leaving with Boris because he had a plan to get Theos beloved painting back. After losing everyone important in his life, getting the painting back was more urgent than ever. Another reason for Theos quick decision is that he was ready for a new life outside of New York city. After all the confusion and heartbreak with Pippa and Kitsey, and knowing Amsterdam might not end up being any better, Theo needed to be somewhere new.
I agree with Sarah and Shannon and would like to add that the painting was too easily retrieved and definitely was foreshadowing because of the man that Theo saw in the kitchen. Also how calmly it was. The old was just weird and there was only one buff guy. The restaurant was gross, and I'm not sure how the illegal sell of art works but I'm pretty sure that the actual guy selling it should be present. These people are lame illegal sellers. Especially since there was so much of a lead for the return of the painting, and for it to be so lame, something exciting was for sure on the horizon. The chaos in the parking garage was surprising but really reckless, they're in public and they decide to have a shootout? The cops must be horrible since there weren't any arrests and there wasn't a video camera around.
Theo had a deep connection with the painting and was willing to get it back, no matter what It took. So that's why he was so eager when he heard Boris's plan, even though he really did not know many details about what would happen. Though Theo Noticed some things in the plan that were sketchy, such as Boris locking up the passports, he still went along with the plan. I think Boris's reasoning for locking up the passports was in case his plan didn't work out the way he wanted it too. He was doing this to protect himself and the others involved in the plan. Boris was worried about getting a ticket, because it would be proof that Boris, Theo, and the others were all together all the time of the incident. This would get the police evidence of their location and make them suspects.
I believe that Theo jumps in to Boris’s plan so quickly because he knows that the life he’s leading himself into is not what he wants. He loves Pippa and he’s a complete train wreck, so marrying Kitsey and joining a community of unbroken people is not something he could be happy and live with. Also, The Goldfinch is his last connection to his mother, Pippa and his old, uncomplicated life, so recovering this painting is in some way his closure to his past life and events. Theo’s description of Amsterdam almost makes it seem like he joined Boris to die. It feels like Theo knows that this plan won’t succeed and that there’s a likely chance he won’t come out alive.
I think Theo jumps in with Boris’s plan so quickly because he wanted to leave New York right away. Theo lost too many people and all of them centered around the state, New York, is hard on him. The main reason I think he left is because even though Boris was a bad influence, he was still there to listen to him in Vegas and I think that is what Theo needed at that moment. Theo wanted Pippa but knew that, that life would never happen and he never wanted to be with Kitsey, let alone marry her. Boris gave Theo the opportunity as a way out and I might not agree with running away from problems or tragedies, the somewhat of a friend that Boris was, is what Theo needed.
Theo is unsure of his father. We know that his father is a dark man who failed to bring up his son and support a family life. Theo now can see that his father showed him that there is darkness and sadness in everything in the world. Theo now sees that his father was right and that everything that is good is also bad. And Same as what Alyse had said that there is also light in very bad situations. "There's always more to things, a hidden level.'
I agree with Nicole that the quote on page 639 shows that some use art to express themselves, just as some write as a way to get their feelings out on paper. It is saying that art is an emotional release, allowing someone to let go of even their darkest feelings and thoughts, and to make it into something beautiful. This idea correlates with the story because going to museums and looking at different art pieces is something Theo and his mom did on the regular. She admired artwork and artifacts, and by keeping the painting after the explosion, it helped to keep a piece of his mom with him, whether he's breaking the law or not. It may be a souvenir from the darkest time of his life and it reminds him of that sad truth, but it is also remains as a memory of his mom, and that's why he needs to protect it.
Theo wants to leave New York so quickly because he wants to leave behind all the bad memories there. His mother died, and he lost too many people there that were close to him. The opportunity had come up to leave, and he jumped on it right away. Marrying Kitsey is really not something that he wants right now because he is in love with Pippa. He needed to get away and start something new as soon as possible.
Theo left with Boris because he trusted him. They had a long history together and Theo saw him as a brother. By going with Boris to Amsterdam, it gave Theo a reason to escape his past and all the memories he had in New York. Boris gave Theo the opportunity of a fresh start. By going to Amsterdam it also gave Theo a reason to back out on marrying Kitsey, which was something he only did out of obligation. Theo didn't know that his new life in Amsterdam was going to be worse than the one he had lived in New York, he just knew it was going to be different. He wanted different.
People are often unable to express their thoughts and feelings outright, and art gives people the ability to portray these feelings without words. Artists capture different perspectives, emotions, light and more within swift but sure strokes of a pen, pencil, paint, or any other type of expression of art. From this people are given the opportunity to hide behind their artwork, saving themselves the sting of rejection or the heat of embarrassment. Instead of 'dying' from speaking the truth, the truth is left for grabs and interpretation in the form of art. This fits in perfectly with the story because the characters are hiding from something behind something else. The main character, however, is hiding a lot behind a quick smile and strong narcotics. Theo masks his emotions and loss through swallowed dry pills and acid liquor. Along with this he disguises familiar with love, truth with lies, and compassion with meaningless nights in strange beds.
Theo probably was so quick to agree with Boris' plan because these types of spontaneous actions have been familiar to him ever since they became best friends in Vegas. It probably felt like he was falling back into an old, comfortable routine. The promise of being able to once again own the Goldfinch at the end of the trip was definitely a factor in getting him to hop on a plane to Amsterdam with little to no reason or explanation as well. I could definitely see the quote on page 649 as foreshadowing to Theo after he kills Martin. He slips into a drug-induced stupor and attempts to commit suicide, which is definitely letting the water close over your head. This quote is just a hint to the rock bottom that Theo would hit once the Goldfinch is taken from him yet again.
I believe that Theo jumps into a sketchy situation leaving with Boris on a moments notice for three main reasons. First off he was severely out of place in the pre-wedding party. Theo found himself in a rather peculiar situation, his soon to be wife cheating on him and Theo not really loving her at all. Secondly, Theo was very anxious to know the whereabouts of “his” painting. The only way he could see to eliminate this anxiety was to recover the painting. Lastly I believe it was solely through the deep trust and friendship that Theo had in Boris that was enough to convince him to leave on such short notice.
The fact that they got the painting back so easily was strange and made me feel like something bad was going to happen. Theo's life had been a sad and hard one, with something always going wrong. This scene was totally different from how the rest of the story had gone and made me nervous. The tone of the book shifted to foreboding because it seemed to good to be true, especially for a character like Theo. Boris' worry about getting a parking ticket is mainly because it would get the law involved. He doesn't want to draw any extra attention to them from anyone, especially the police. If he got a ticket it could lead to complications and questions that he might not have answers for.
I think Theo went away with Boris because it was a quick escape from New York. Although things away from New York always seemed to be worse. Theo felt that he was expected to marry Kitsey even though he never really wanted to and he knew he could never have his life Pippa how he wanted it. Theo was in love with Pippa but it would be impossible for them to end up together. Theo couldn't take it and needed a get away from his troubles and bad memories.
Theo jumps into Boris's plan without many questions because he trusts Boris and he knows that even though the plan is risky, Boris will try and protect Theo. Theo mainly believes this because of all of the things they went through together in Vegas. overall Theo has a very trusting friendship with Boris and i fell like that ts the number one reason that Theo jumped right into the plan with Boris.
Theo jumped at the very shady offer that boris offered him for numerous reasons. First off, Theodore needed a way out of the party, because he felt very uncomfortable in that kind of setting. Most of the guest where Kitsey's guest and made Theo fell alienated at his own party. Secondly, he need a escape from the marriage, because he felt pressured into being married to Kitsey because of many reasons, mostly the fact that he didn't love her in the way a married couple is. Thirdly, his mom and Andy died in New York so there is a lot of emotional tension there. Lastly, he wanted to see the goldfinch after all those years. That picture has been, what he thought to be, the only constant in his life and getting it back will make him fell better.
I agree with Alyse that Theo is very uncertain and disappointed with his father. In the scene is is "air-conditioned midnight..." so even though it is an environment that feels cool and comfortable, it is still dark. This is where I also agree with Alyse that Theo just finds out about the "hidden level" of his father. The darkness have never been shown to the light of Theo's life. Therefore now, everything that he thought was light, is now darkness and not genuine.
I fell That Nietzsche quote on pg. 639 tells us that, Without art to show us that life can actually be beautiful, we would realize that are life is meaningless. What I mean by, life is meaningless, is that we will all die at some point and art shows us that we shouldn't hasten are death. This pertains to the goldfinch by Theo not "giving up" after all of the problems he has had in the past eight years. The reason he did not "give up" was because the goldfinch always reminded him of his mother, his only true parent that was there for him, by it being her favorite panting.
Theo jumps in with Boris's plan so quickly is because he wants the painting back. Theo also trusts Boris with the plan. He knows Boris and will know that he will keep him safe. When they were shoplifting in Las Vegas in their younger years, Boris always made sure that Theo got away or was safe for the time being. Boris had a head movement and flash in his eyes to tell Theo to move. With Theo and Boris with a tight friendship, it would have been an easy decision to try to get the painting back. The retrieval of the painting is like the saying "the calm before the storm". Right before a storm, everything is calm and quiet(the retrieval) and during the storm, it is chaotic(parking garage).
Amsterdam being described as being "like a place where you might come to let the water close over your head." is absolutely foreshadowing. After regaining and losing the painting through hectic escapes and gunfights alongside Boris, Theo becomes overwhelmed and leaves Boris. Theo is devastated after losing the painting yet again and stays at a hotel in Amsterdam taking drugs. Panicking about losing the painting, convinced he is soon to be arrested, and feeling alone and helpless, Theo seriously contemplates suicide, hence the quote. Theo suffers through several depressing days in Amsterdam and nearly lived up to, or more relevantly fell down to, the foreshadowing quote.
The Quote, "like a place where you might come to let the water close over your head," makes me think of giving up. It is like if you were drowning, and at some point you just have to let the water close over your head. This is very heavy foreshadowing because later in the book, Theo contemplates suicide. He gets to the point of writing suicide notes to everyone he cares about. He only stops thinking of suicide when he sees a vision of his mother, and looking at her snaps some since into him. This could also mean him giving up trying to find the goldfinch. This is shown when the "art police" recover the paintings in Germany, while Theo was in Amsterdam.
I think Theo trusts Boris. Not a normal kind of trust between two friends though, this trust seems deeper. He knows they will protect each other and Boris would never betray him. Also, Theo wants to leave New York badly.His situation in the state is nothing any man would look forward to, and compared to being pressured into a legally binding relationship with a woman who appears self-absorbed and openly does not love him, carrying out a risky and potentially disastrous plan for The Goldfinch with Boris might not have seemed so unthinkable. This is why Theo jumped aboard Boris's plan without much hesitation. Honestly, I probably would too.
Theo was willing to go with Boris so easily because his life everywhere else was over with and it was time for something new. New York was where heartbreak happened. Where he lost his mom and even Andy he needed an escape even if it wouldn't be much better. If he took Boris's plan he would leave the party and even the marriage. The marriage that wasn't even with the real feelings it should have. The main reason had to be the painting. He had such an attachment on that painting he did whatever it took to have it.
The quote saying that Amsterdam is "like a place where you might come to let the water close over your head..." is foreshadowing future events. It is telling the reader that one of the characters is going to willingly let something devastating crush them and, must likely, destroy them. Also, this may suggest that the upcoming events may not be contained to the one person that lets the water fall on themselves.
Boris is so used to getting what he wants that when theo starts getting edgy about calling the art police, he just blows his top. Boris can talk anyone into doing anything and he just doesn't like how theo is messing up his plans making it harder to talk theo into it even more. Boris had the thought that they were still best friends and trusted each other but its not like that since theo moved away.
I agree with Teija about Boris and how he usually gets what he wants. It frustrates him that he can't talk Theo into doing whatever he wants him to do anymore so he begins to seem menacing. I agree that Boris thinks that he thought Theo would automatically follow him because he thought things were back to normal between him and Theo but they weren't.
Boris is so concerned about the parking ticket because it is what would bring the police into the whole situation, which was the last thing they needed. The task they were at didn't need any extra attention because of all the problems it could lead to. The smooth retrieval of the painting foreshadowed chaos because of all the previous experiences we've had with Theo. Things have always gone wrong when it comes to Theo, and such an important event going so smoothly seemed out of place. This only called for one thing: trouble later on.
In my opinion, I think that Theo left New York with Boris because he just needed to get out. Theo had a rough life, so he left New York to run away from his problems. He comes to find out that things are way worse when he is outside of New York. Theo clearly never wanted to get married to Kitsey, even though he felt obligated. He also was saddened at the fact that he would never have a the life he wanted with Pippa. Theo truly loved Pippa, but there was no way they could have a life together. He just wanted a new start, so he left New York with Boris.
Theo jumps into the plan for numerous reasons. Theo and Boris already have a long held trust even if it does seem sketchy. The painting is something very important to Theo, it's a connection to his mother who was last thing he loved before Pippa. It's a connection to Pippa since that was the day he also met her when he saw the painting. The other reasons are an excuse for escape. Theo is not happy in New York or in his marriage at all. He wants to escape the reality of it all in any way possible so this is a good chance for him to do just that.
"We have art in order not to die from the truth." Friedrich Nietzsche was probably one of the most brilliant men to ever live. His insight and philosophy was light-years ahead of its time and his ideas still stand some 140 years later. I believe this quote means that we use art as a way to beautifully express the ugly. Songs express heartbreak, but they sure make it sound lovely. Films can romanticize almost anything. Art can take something like political oppression and make it a diamond in the rough. We use art to try to make sense of these things in our world and the way we make the art proves that we do look at the world in a beautiful light.
The quote on p.695 very much reminds me of a quote from A Farewell to Arms by Ernrest Hemingway. "Eventually the world breaks everyone and afterwards many are strong at the broken places. But those that it does not break it kils. It kills the very good and the very brave and the very gentle impartially. If you are none of those things, you can be sure it will kill you too but there will be no special hurry." To me, both quotes are a bit cynical. They are both saying that our lives whether we view it through experiences(time)or by our surroundings(the world) can be very brutal to us.
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