Eutropia

I loved Invisible Cities. I found the structure of the book fascinating, and it kept me constantly thinking outside the confines of the words on the page. I didn't really have an adjustment period to the style of the book; I think that is because I read something similarly written (Fernando Pessoa's The Book of Disquiet) earlier this summer.

One of my favorite descriptions in the book was that of the city of Eutropia (64-65), the city in which the inhabitants are constantly and seamlessly switching from one life to another. After I finished reading the chapter, I continued to think about the people it described. If each individual constantly switched roles, then what did they have of their own? What were their own personalities? Such a situation could be looked at as unhappy, lonely, and depressing; however, Calvino (and Polo) describe it as a path towards freedom. The tone of the chapter is not a depressing one, but a serene and open one. The people in this city are free from worrying about failing at any set path, as their lives switch constantly. Furthermore, although they have no set family or relationships, everyone is their family and they have that connection with everyone. While this chapter of the book was discussing a specific city, the larger ideas can easily be applied to a wider context. The same is true for all of the chapters; the cities are only a vessel for and give shape to the larger ideas that Calvino wanted to discuss. Maybe the Calvino is saying that your place in life isn't really important, that the tasks you preform and the part that you play does not make up the person that you are.