Noah thinks of himself and others as the titles of portraits (e.g., "SELF-PORTRAIT: The Boy Hiding Inside the Boy Hiding Inside the Boy." [1.118]) Jude describes people in terms of famous artworks (one woman she meets "glitters like she walked out of a Klimt painting" [4.514]). Their mother is an art historian who's having a secret affair with a famous artist. Oscar's a photographer and a live model for drawing classes.
Everything these characters think and feel, the stuff that they do, and most of the people they know and love are somehow involved with the visual arts. And yet, somehow, Bob Ross even doesn't come up once. Oh well, their loss.
Questions About Art and Culture
- Why do you think Jude is so secretive about her sand sculptures?
- Name at least two of Guillermo Garcia's unusual sculptural techniques. (Think bodily fluids.)
- Why does Oscar lose his job modeling for the art school?
Chew on This
Art provides an important refuge for the characters, helping insulate them from the real world.
The characters retreat to the world of art too often. They'd be better off spending more time in the real world.