... circumstance; they are revealed as the personal manifestations of the same reality. . . . At the same time, the book's ultimate concerns are deeply spiritual" (62). At the end, Gustad is damaged, and he will likely never again view the world with such innocence. "But where?" he says as the novel concludes, and enters into the security of his shabby flat. "Life will go on" is the answer to his question. In ... a way the narrative becomes a circular ... , A Fine Balance asks what Hilary Mantel calls an "age-old" question: "In the face of the world's beauty, in the face of the self-evident...

• Word Count: 4673
• Approx Pages: 19
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... circumstance; they are revealed as the personal manifestations of the same reality. . . . At the same time, the book's ultimate concerns are deeply spiritual" (62). At the end, Gustad is damaged, and he will likely never again view the world with such innocence. "But where?" he says as the novel concludes, and enters into the security of his shabby flat. "Life will go on" is the answer to his question. In ... a way the narrative becomes a circular ... , A Fine Balance asks what Hilary Mantel calls an "age-old" question: "In the face of the world's beauty, in the face of the self-evident...

• Word Count: 4675
• Approx Pages: 19
• Grade Level: Undergraduate