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Quote:
“Then another image came back to her, one that had gotten lost in the activity of the morning. Of Ruth leaning on her cane, turning away from the others, so that only Myrna could see the wince of pain as the elderly woman lowered herself to her knees, and silently scrubbed. All morning.”
Jane Richmond:
Here, our Three Pines friends are scrubbing away poop after Olivier and Gabri were attacked. In this first chapter of Still Life, we are introduced to the values of this village; that hate is not tolerated, that even the tiniest, frailest villager will fight against discrimination, that the way the community comes together to support those attacked gives us hope that goodness outshines cruelty, and that it is because of the darkness that we may have the opportunity to see light, where we may not have seen it before.
For me, this passage highlights the community spirit of Three Pines, the goodness and love that exists within despite any outward appearance, and the selflessness and sacrifices involved in being a friend and neighbour. What are your thoughts on this passage or this introduction to Three Pines and the villagers?
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I see Three Pines as the benchmark, the standard, for being a good human. It is a community where kindness, compassion, and a hand to hold are the rule not the exception. Three Pines shows us that healing happens where trust and goodness thrive.
I thought it was a very effective passage. It said so much about the villagers. My first introduction to Ruth had me wondering about whether I would ever like her; this reveal of her inner character made me see so much more, and understand why she was so tolerated. Good hearts come in many forms. Reading about how the characters came together to help one another, I felt the attraction of the Three Pines community, and understood that it was a place where when the chips were down, many of the people came together in common decency and supported one another. It occurs to me that not everyone in the entire community was there, doing that; the place is not perfect. But these core characters stepped up, friends helping friends, united in their understanding of what was right and what was wrong. Makes me yearn to live in Three Pines, especially these days.
Well said, Libby and Susan! I agree with you.
I loved this quote and it stood out for me when re-reading the book. Libby and Susan you both put it very eloquently as to why so many of us would like more Three Pines in our lives.
The important element of this for me was Myrna’s understanding of and respect for Ruth in this scene. She clearly understood that Ruth’s self respect depended on Myrna recognizing her limits without calling attention to them. That is a statement about the depth of understanding of one another of the residents of Three Pines. Ruth could only truly participate and support Gabri and Olivier be joining in their collective clean up effort without calling attention to herself. Myrna sees and respects that.
Nice point, Jane! I think this plays into the question about multiple points of view in the book, why LP chose to write the book in this way, and how effect they can be.
I also think that by showing the reader this side of Ruth lends an understanding to why she’s loved and accepted despite her prickly exterior. This, that she shows up to help despite her physical challenges, her age, and an easy and understandable excuse as to why she wouldn’t, is why her friends appreciate her and recognize that love that is in her heart for them and for the village.