After multiple pregnancies and much physical and emotional separation, Lila and Elena begin to experience a synchronization in their bodies that allow them to endure new life together. Elena recounts this tumultuous period, “But our bodies, although undergoing the same process of reproducing life, continued to experience the phases in different ways, mine with active collaboration, hers with dull resignation,” (Ferrante 154). Although their delight and excitement become evident in their ability to reinforce their friendship, Lila’s fear of dissolving boundaries and misshapen people and objects begins extending to the rest of her body. Lila’s desire to constantly be in control of the flow of events and the people around her is no different for this pregnancy. She plans for it and yet her mental state of constant turmoil sends signals to her body as if it’s struggling to comprehend and to give in to the physical changes taking place on the inside and outside. Her body, just like her mind, has no desire for unpredictability that could potentially have disastrous results. This is also a reflection of Lila’s unwillingness to leave her neighborhood, let alone Naples, itself, a fear of leaving the mental boundaries that she has created for herself. On the other hand, Elena’s body is very welcoming to the new life growing inside of her, a reflection of her willingness to expand her world beyond the neighborhood, Naples and Italy, as a whole. Each time that Elena travels abroad, her heart swells with pride at her broadening horizons. She is striving to not limit herself to the expectations of her inner circle, the neighborhood and her motherly responsibilities, slowly beginning to understand that she is capable of doing a multitude of things outside of the small yet complexly dangerous world of her origins that keep pulling her back into its abyss. Unlike Lila, she has an ability to control herself, regardless of the disastrous situations she finds herself in, working through the obstacle course with steady determination. While Lila has determination, as well, her’s is an obsessive desire to maintain control without giving much thought to her well being, her thoughts or her own body, knowing that her mind will distort everything around her, regardless of her efforts, if she stops for even a moment.