Maybe it's the Grand Canyon, maybe it's the Pacific Ocean, maybe it's Steph Curry, or maybe it's opera. Bel Canto seems to be telling us that everyone is amazed by something. That sense of awe and amazement ties into several other huuuuge themes of the book. Art and love both seem to be all tied up with awe and amazement. Kind of like a really complicated bow on a birthday present (or the ones that almost cover the whole car in those Christmas ads). Does awe cause love, or does love cause awe? How does art move us to both amazement and love? These are questions at the heart of Bel Canto.
Questions About Awe and Amazement
- Why does everyone in the room seem amazed by Roxane Coss' voice? Is it because some things are so amazing that everyone is forced to feel awe in their presence?
- Do different people have different ways of experiencing awe? Is it visual art for some people, nature for others, a new Star Trek film for others? (You may think we're kidding, but we're not.)
- In the world of Bel Canto, can you love something or someone without being amazed? Or do love and amazement go together like cake and ice cream?
- On the flip side, can you be amazed by something or someone without being in love? That is, could you be seriously impressed with someone's song at the school talent show but not find yourself falling for that person?
Chew on This
In Bel Canto, there are two kinds of amazement you can have at someone's talent. One leads to wanting a real relationship with that person, and one leads to a more distant admiration, like thinking how great someone is when you watch them on the big screen.
Amazement can be found just about anywhere, if you're really looking. You could be in awe of a great steak or a nice daisy, just as much as a fantastic opera song.