Mistress of Spices Question #2

[SusanMac]

Even though everyone seems to have mixed feelings about the ending, we all seemed to have liked reading the book. Here's another question I pulled from the website...

"What role does physical beauty play in this story? In Tilo's feelings about her body? About Raven? About the bougainvillea girls?"

[SusanMac]

(argh, didn't mean to hit that button!) Anyway, this theme struck me throughout the book. I'm torn about whether or not Tilo's body was a good thing in the book. On one hand, the author positions being old as a negative thing (which isn't good or healthy). Tilo really struggled with having to live in her old-person's body. I do think, however, that her struggle was realistic. Our society is so fixated on youth=beauty. The fact that Raven saw through Tilo's physical looks to the beauty that was inside her was really wonderful. I don't think, however, that she should have changed her body to go out on their date (although we all would have given into that temptation). It would have been more powerful for them to make love while she still had her other body. Anyway, overall it was a good reminder to me to not worry so much about trying to make my figure "perfect" (whatever that means) and focus on being a beautiful person.

[LIsaP]

I thought that Tilo's focus on her body and how she looked was realistic, but really sad. For me, the question evokes more questions, what is beauty, can you be beautiful on the outside and the inside, how much does your outward appearance affect how others perceive you?
I am not sure if the author is trying to say that you can't have it all, but I think she leans toward that. Tilo cannot be outwardly beautiful and still have her special powers, for that night, she must choose one over the other.
However, Raven is portrayed as having both inner and outer beauty-at least in Tilo's eyes while the bouganvillia girls are outwardly beautiful, but seem very shallow inside. Is the author saying that men can be both outwardly and inwardly beautiful at the same time, but women cannot?

I found it interesting that one of the conditions of being a Mistress of Spices was that you couldn't look at your self. Once Tilo starts to want to see what she looks like, she starts to want more and to be dissatisfied with her situation-comparing herself to others. That is an interesting statement about vanity-can we really be our best on the inside if we are constantly worried about our outward appearance?

Ok, that's enough rambling for now-I hope I made some sense. I really enjoyed this book, and it has stuck with me for some time, which is unusual.

[jane]

In many parts of the book it is very important. Physical beauty is what draws Tilo to Raven and why she feels so strongly about the bougainvilla girls (her jealousy at the bougainvilla girls for having what she found she really wanted-at least when they were around-beauty). For much of the novel (and in life as well) physical beauty is a way of defining self worth and the worth of others. It is one of the main reasons Tilo is sent as an old woman-to help break her pride and make it easier for her to help people.

It's an interesting thought. I just read an article yesterday that quoted a study that found that unattractive people actually get paid less than attractive people (what was really interesting is that ugly men get paid less (relatively speaking) than ugly women. Which really surprised me. There was an interesting discussion about which was the causing fact: Did they get paid less because they were ugly, or were they ugly because they got paid less (less self esteem, less access to beauty enhancing treatments.) There were of course no real anwers, but an interesting discussion.

[Tangerine]

Hi, everyone!

Although I wasn’t able to get this book and finish it for discussion, I have been enjoying everyone’s input.

This thread is amazing! Your insight and diverse responses to the question of physical beauty and society are all very moving. What a wonderful book, to have kindled such philosophical thought.

Tangerine

Oh April, for what purpose have you come? Beauty is not enough - Edna St. Vincent Millay

[Susan]

What a thought-provoking question!

The theme of physical beauty in Mistress, immediately ignited the remembrance of Raven bringing Tilo the gift of the white dress (pages 203-205). Tilo thinks it is the loveliest dress she has ever seen and yet refuses to wear it, saying it is a young-woman dress. Raven disagrees with her saying, "A beautiful-woman dress. And you are that woman." Tilo continues to disagree..."Can't you see?" I cry. "I'm ugly. Ugly and old. That dress on me would be a mockery. And you and I together, that too is a mockery." Raven finally convinces her to wear the dress with, "This body, I know it's not the real you." Later she is mocked when the bougainvillea girls catch sight of her in this dress being held and kissed by Raven. (pp. 234-235)

This whole episode really puzzled me. What is it that truly draws Raven to Tilo? Why did Raven find it necessary to give her this dress that would appear so out-of-place on her current frame? Was the mockery of the girls toward Tilo justified? Is Tilo trying to be someone she is not by wearing the dress?

Tilo's succumbing to her wordly desires and disobeying the tenets of being Mistress angered me. I wanted Tilo to be true to her calling as a Mistress in an effort to atone for the errors she had made earlier in her life before the island.

[browneye]

Fascinating comments...
I too was frustrated by Tilo's abandoning her mistress role. The whole ending was disappointing.
In regards to her physical self, it seemed like the author did a "Goldilocks and the bears" treatment. First, the really old body, then she tried on the very young, and finally, the middle of the road body felt the best.
I was glad I read the book, and I really enjoyed the book up to the point of Raven entering the picture. At that point, I felt the author herself lost the touch. IMHO.

[Sara Emily]

Hello, Ladies! Better late than never, I suppose!!! I had been looking forward to this book club discussion with the greatest anticipation. I borrowed the book from the library, read it, and then renewed it twice so that I could have it on hand for reference while we were sharing. Then ..... the BB troubles! Then ..... I was trying to get to the site from my old bookmark and did not realize that I would have to type it in anew. Then .... I had some computer problems, and the lady that took the computer to fix it inadvertantly introduced a virus into the system while she was reloading a few items and the hard drive crashed! :mad:

Now that I am back on-line, I have GREATLY enjoyed reading your responses to the two questions and look forward to doing this month after month with new material. Let me just add one quick thought to the discussion. Although I know that this is in no way what the authress intended, we tend to relate stories to our own experiences, venue, and line of thinking. All the while I was reading about Tilo in her store, I pictured her in my mind as looking sort of like Mother Teresa - wrinkled and old, but with so much inner beauty that shone through BECAUSE her life was lived for OTHERS and because she had been willing to "pay the prices" that were required to be able to help far beyond what the "ordinary" person could do! The prices were sometimes very steep and demanding, but what she was given to offer in return was truly EXTRAORDINARY! This is what made the great saints shine as such incredible examples. I was disappointed ...... and then some ...... when she became more and more unwilling to pay those prices and thought more and more only of herself. She wound up "just like everyone else," when she had been destined for greater things - one of those great and rare souls who changes the world forever! How utterly sad!

As for her physical appearance - the more selfish she became, the more beautiful she was in material terms. But, at what cost to her soul and to her ability to really make a difference in the lives of others? She wound up with a sort of mediocre beauty in a sort of mediocre inner state - still possessing a heart of compassion, willing to help, but also very, very limited in what she was able to do. Although the things asked of her were monumental, I wanted to shake her throughout the whole last half of the book and beg her to keep in perspective the great good that she was forfeiting! However, I think the authress meant for it to sound like a victory, a positive thing. I could not bring myself to think that.

I have had a difficult time locating the next book for our consideration, but managed to purchase the LAST COPY from a store today. Needless to say, I will be busy reading during every spare moment of the next week and eager to hear comments on this one! :)

[Susan]

Sara Emily~
Kudos on such an insightful post! Your comments on physical beauty were so accurate in my eyes! She did become so mediocre (perfect word!) after having been extraordinary!

I am still waiting for the arrival of the next book. I ordered it from half.com just a few days ago after searching all the bookstores in my area. I am looking forward to reading it!

~Susan~