Tag Archives: education

Partying with Education

Lila from the T.V. series My Brilliant Friend: The moment she witnesses Stefano’s betrayal on Marcello’s feet.

The narration of the story is tricky when one considers that for the most part, the reader is placed inside the mind of Elena and is not often allowed a genuine glimpse into Lila’s complicated thoughts. However, when Elena is invited to a party by one of her professors and Lila decides to tag along, the reader is given a painful insight into the humiliation in Lila’s heart that Elena later reads from her private notebooks. Elena marks the significance of this event for her friend by noting, “That evening for the first time it had become clear to her that her life would forever be Stefano, the grocery stores, the marriage of her brother and Pinuccia, the conversations with Pasquale and Carmen, the petty war with the Solaras…There, for the entire evening, she had felt irrefutably lost.” (Ferrante 161) Up to this point, Lila feels a sense of regret regarding her marriage to Stefano and everything related to it. She is a force to be reckoned with and cannot nor will not allow herself to be controlled and limited by anyone in any respect. Upon hearing of this party, her hopeful excitement that she would be able to escape her repetitive, demanding and sorrowful marriage life is put off balance by Elena’s hesitancy to bring her there. Evidently, Lila believes that her mysterious and dangerous aura would be a source of attraction to everyone she meets at the party. When she realizes the festivities are fulfilling the opposite of her expectations, the humiliation becomes too much to bear and she feigns boredom. Although her intelligence is boundless and her capacity to learn is admirable, her insecurities and the disrespectful treatment she receives are a reflection of her lack of schooling and awareness of everyday international events. Her pride and ego are damaged heavily at this event and she begins to realize where she is destined to belong.

Even upon realizing this, her attempt to humiliate Elena to conceal her own shame is evidence of denial on Lila’s part. Perhaps, the same stubbornness that does not allow Stefano, her in-laws nor the Solaras to control her every move, is the same sentiment that prevents her from understanding that the marriage trap she has placed herself in is more permanent than she believes. Whatever the extent of her knowledge, according to Elena, Lila is beginning to accept that she belongs to a certain group of people: those who are content with wealth, luxuries, marriage and children. In other words, in Lila’s eyes, a comfortable life that limits a woman’s freedom and persistent efforts of business deceptions that help to increase those lifelong comforts. The vulgarity with which Stefano and everyone around Lila are constantly attempting to pursue the utmost wealthy success, including her own brother, is so far from the world of education and academics of Elena’s world, that it seems as though Lila feels intimidated and unable to catch up with the mental marathon that Lila, herself, has pushed Elena to pursue. She does not wish to be left behind yet does not seem to realize that she, herself, is ahead of Elena in many other aspects of life. It is a matter of comprehending that, in reality, there is a balance to Elena and Lila’s friendship that reveals that intelligence and education take many forms.

The novelty of such an episode stems from the weakness that Lila expresses. From the beginning, the reader becomes intimate with a Lila that is ferocious and indestructible both physically and mentally. However, the humiliating reality of her situation and the decision of placing herself under the hand of Stefano has revealed her human side. The constant mental and physical pressure at home, whether it’s working at the grocery, her husband’s beatings or her miscarriage and the mental pressure of the party has thrown her off balance. She is finally beginning to realize that she cannot control everything. This time, instead of being able to step on the brake to place herself where she deems suitable, she is swerving out of control, unable to understand that she is being led down a dangerous route.

Following Lila’s Footsteps: From Education to Shoe-making

It’s evident from the beginning that Elena holds an admiration and fearful respect for Lila, engaging in terrifying adventures that she would otherwise never attempt, not only because Lila does so, but also for the sense of excitement and thrill that comes along with them. Up to this point, beginning a new chapter in their education had been something that stimulated both Elena and Lila. Lila’s persistence and intense and even violent arguments with her father eventually results in him giving in to her demands and allowing her to attend middle school. Afterwards, to Elena’s great surprise, although Lila begins attending school, she ends up skipping classes repeatedly. Lila even expresses relief when she becomes ill, simply because it prevents her from attending school. She ultimately ends up failing and afterwards, when Lila’s family decides that she will work alongside her father and brother in the shoe shop, to Elena’s disbelief, she witnesses a newfound pride and delight in Lila whenever she discusses the art of repairing and making shoes. This is emphasized by her deep concentration whenever Elena watches her at work from the shop window. The passion of Lila’s words and actions has several tremendous effects on Elena. Formerly, she would brag about her academic excellence to Lila, expressing an underlying insecurity ever since she had become second to Lila’s extreme intelligence and abilities. Now, not only is Elena struggling to keep up with the difficult and faster pace of middle school education but she also finds herself questioning whether or not this education is necessary or even desirable. She expresses her doubts and sorrow when she narrates, “…seemed to me the best people in the neighborhood. Above all, I came home with the impression that, not spending my days in a shoemaker’s shop, having for a father a banal porter instead, I was excluded from a rare privilege. I began to feel that my presence in class was pointless” (99). She wonders if anything fruitful can result from the constant studying and even when she attempts to apply herself, she does so without a hint of passion and purpose. She now believes that Lila and her family are or should be the most respected and esteemed people in the entire neighborhood because they hold a talent for creating something not only beautiful but also of use to everyone, regardless of status, with the added promise of comfort. Elena desires to be included in having this rare ability and opportunity to learn the ins and outs of shoemaking. However, her own father, unlike Lila’s father does not have an exciting job, according to Elena. These thoughts, however, stem not from a desire to become a successful shoemaker but rather from the wish to discover the brilliance of every occupation that grasps the attention of Lila. In other words, if Lila decides that she has an interest in something, whether it’s to discover a new place, advance her education, or making shoes, Lila’s rollercoaster of passions takes Elena along for the ride.

Yet another effect that this newfound enthusiasm of Lila has on Elena is her overwhelming ‘unhappiness,’ (99) as she calls it. This becomes evident when, almost as a side note, Elena begins describing Lila’s physical traits as she watches her at work from outside the shop. She recounts, “Coming out of school, dazed by unhappiness, I passed Fernando’s shop only to see Lila at her workplace, sitting at a little table in the back, her thin chest with no hint of a bosom, her scrawny neck, her small face,” (99). Elena now not only lacks a yearning to grow in her learning but also has a hint of envy. Instead of solely mentioning how she watches Lila at work, she outlines Lila’s tiny stature and lack of physical maturity, implying that, at the very least, Elena feels superior in this respect because she has, in fact, developed a bosom, and grown in weight, giving her the appearance of a healthy and developing young adolescent. This is a defense mechanism for Elena because she continuously alludes to Lila’s physical characteristics, especially at her lowest points of insecurity throughout the novel. Although not ill-intentioned, this quote expresses Elena’s attempt to undermine the many talents of Lila. As mentioned before, ever since Elena discovered that Lila is intelligent and bold whether it comes to academics or everyday life, she has struggled to keep up with her everchanging interests, realizing that the only aspect of her life in which she feels superior is a physical one.